


The Art of Compassion

by shadesalogel



Series: Med-jai Chronicles [5]
Category: Legend of the Seeker (TV), The Mummy (1999)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crossover, Fix-It of Sorts, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:34:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 17
Words: 78,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27458059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadesalogel/pseuds/shadesalogel
Summary: An accident with a summoning spell pulls young Rick and Ardeth into the Midland forest to meet up with the Seeker and his companions. What could go wrong with Med-jai encountering the D'harans?Based off of Season 1 of the TV show, and significantly AU.
Series: Med-jai Chronicles [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1489700
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Any characters you recognize do not belong to the authors. Some of the ideas were inspired by Xanthia Morgan’s wonderful fic, Brother of My Soul.
> 
> Please note that this is based off of Season 1 of the Legend of the Seeker television show, and does go AU. How can it not, when Rick and Ardeth visit?

The peace of the Midland forest was shattered by the clash of swords and the screams of soldiers as the unit of D’haran soldiers engaged the Seeker and his friends in battle. Richard, Kahlan, and Zed had been ambushed by an army of Darken Rahl’s best men. The evil overlord seemed more determined than ever to defeat the Seeker now that he had discovered that the whelp was still alive.

The Sword of Truth blazed in the sunlight filtering through the trees on that sweltering afternoon taking down several D’haran troops. Richard wielded the sword with a seemingly ceaseless reserve of energy as usual, this once farm boy now an accomplished fighter with the magic blade in his hands. Kahlan’s daggers were a blur of motion as she used her training to fight alongside the Seeker, neutralizing one enemy at a time. In the meantime Zeddicus stood off to the side backing them up with his calculated blasts of wizard’s fire and other spells as he could.

Spotting a large gathering of soldiers about to rush Richard and Kahlan, Zed let loose one of the more potent spells in his arsenal. Before it could hit its target, a Mord'sith stepped in the way, catching the spell in her open hand and flashing a cold smile at Zed.

Zed's eyes went wide and he called out warnings to Richard and Kahlan, but it was too late. The Mord'sith had cast the spell back. But then what happened next took everyone by surprise: there was a blinding flash of light and a deep rumbling shook the woods causing all in the vicinity to falter in confusion. And then there in the midst of the chaos stood two young teenage boys. Quickly assessing the situation, they were armed in a heartbeat but hesitated, not sure which in the groups were their enemies or their friends.

One of the boys tossed a glance over at the other who had his back. "Okay! This time, I swear, it wasn't my fault! I didn't say or think anything!" he insisted, his blue eyes quickly sweeping over the oddly dressed strangers.

"I believe you, my brother—it had the feel of a summoning spell. Although why anyone would summon us in the midst of a battle, I have no idea." The black-haired boy spoke with an odd accent, and watched everyone carefully as he straightened to survey the strangely silent battlefield. Everyone was staring at them. "Which of you has brought us here, and to what purpose?"

But the only answer was for the battle to resume, as the Mord'sith ordered her men to destroy the newcomers as well as the Seeker and his party.

"Run!" Richard ordered the two of them, uncertain that either of the two boys were up for a fight especially against Mord'sith and soldiers from the Dragon Corps.

Rick raised his guns quickly firing at the red and black clad soldiers closing in on them, their swords raised. As soon as they got close enough, he quickly switched over to his scimitar.

"I strongly object to people trying to kill me or my brother!" Ardeth met the soldiers' charge without flinching, his scimitar flashing through the air. The two boys fought their way through the crowd to where Richard and Kahlan were. After quick glances at each other, the four of them went back to back, easily defending themselves against the Dragon Corp.

The Mord'sith snarled, incredibly displeased with how accomplished these two teenagers seemed to be at holding their own in a fight. Though with her presence, she had rendered the wizard practically useless since he could no longer use his magic without her turning it back against them. More of her unit's bodies began to litter the ground, and she stepped forward. It was time to end this nonsense. Those boys were effectively aiding the Seeker, and she would rather fall in battle than return to Darken Rahl from a failed mission. If she could just get close enough to the boys and take them out, then she and the remainder of her soldiers could complete their task and capture Richard Cypher.

As Ardeth cut down one strangely dressed soldier after another, he suddenly found himself facing a lady dressed in red leather. He blinked at her. "Who are you?" he demanded, giving her his best regal stare.

She smiled at him amused that anyone could not recognize one of her order on sight. "One you do not wish to cross. You will learn soon enough, and then desperately wish that you hadn't." She swung out at him with her Agiel.

Ardeth caught the blow on his scimitar, and kicked her away. "You should know that it is unwise to cross a Med-jai." Each of her blows was easily blocked by the boy, as he fought in a style she had never seen before.

The Mord'sith's eyes blazed, frustrated as every swing and attack she made was easily parried by this unusual young man. She found she could gain no ground against the boy. Looking over at Richard, she saw that the Seeker was in the process of fending off three other attackers and decided to switch targets. Shoving the boy back as his weapon connected with hers, she moved to attack Richard.

Rick saw this out of the corner of his eye and threw one of his now empty pistols at her hand, catching her by surprise and knocking the Agiel from her grasp.

With a cry of frustration, the Mord'sith dove for her Agiel, kicking out at Richard as she passed and knocking him closer to the soldiers. One of the soldiers dropped his sword to avoid spearing the Seeker, and tackled him, trying to wrestle him into submission.

Richard grappled with him on the ground, desperately trying to get his sword back which the blow of the man rushing him had driven from his hand and slightly out of reach.

"Richard!" Kahlan cried out, but she was herself battling a handful of Dragon Corps legionnaires and couldn't help him.

Ardeth spat out a spell that sent the soldiers around him falling to the ground. "Rick, focus on taking down that woman in the red leather!" the young Med-jai ordered as he jumped to keep the other two soldiers away from Richard.

Rick nodded, killing the last soldier opposing him and running headlong to stop the Mord’Sith. He drew up short barely moving his blade in time to deflect the blow she aimed at him as she turned suddenly at him, her weapon recovered.

Richard threw out a punch trying to daze one of his attackers long enough for him to break free.

The man shook off the punch and returned it, doing his best to follow his orders and capture the seeker. Suddenly, the man stiffened, and collapsed. Ardeth offered a hand to Richard, keeping a wary eye on the ring of soldiers around them.

Richard looked up at the boy that had come to his aid. He had to be at least six or seven years younger than him, but Richard found himself glad that they had appeared out of nowhere. Taking Ardeth's hand he rose to his feet grabbing the Sword of Truth on the way up.

"Are you injured?" Ardeth asked, turning to face the soldiers fully and staring them down.

"No. Thanks," the Seeker answered as he stood, his back to Ardeth's as they both pivoted, the enemy ringing them in, though a good deal of the men looked uncertain having seen many of their comrades slain by these rebels.

Rick was circling with the woman in red, trading blows in flurry of motions. Finally sensing a small gap in her defense, Rick thrust his sword hilt up at her face, trying to stun her.

Staring down the soldiers, Ardeth raised an eyebrow at them. "If you surrender now, you will have a much better chance of surviving this day."

The Mord'sith staggered back from the hit to her face, but recovered quickly.

The men looked from the Seeker and the Med-jai prince to their mistress who was having a hard time fighting a boy who was young enough that her victory should have been assured.

Finally, Rick managed to rip the Agiel from her grasp again. He promptly gasped in pain the second his fingers closed around the hilt, dropping the leather stick. He barely recovered in time, but was able to knock the woman back and lowered his scimitar to rest on her throat. This and Ardeth's offer was all the convincing a couple of the soldiers needed to defect. The other's looked at them in shock.

"Rick? My brother, are you hurt? What happened?" Ardeth asked, flexing his own hand a little at the pain he had felt through the bond.

"I'm not sure," he answered in confusion without turning, unwilling to risk turning his back on the Mord’Sith for even a second. He looked down at the woman beneath his blade. "Surrender, and you won't have to die today," he said quietly, not wanting to kill this stranger especially when he didn't understand the circumstances of the battle they had been forced to join.

The lady spat at him. "I am a Mord'sith! We never surrender!" Taking a breath, she pushed herself up onto Rick's blade, killing herself.

Rick was taken aback by this action but could not move fast enough to keep her from impaling herself. He stared down into her eyes, disturbed as he saw the life flee from them and the weight of her body dragged her off his scimitar and back down to the ground. Breathing deeply for a second, he shook his head trying to banish the image of her last moments as he moved to join his brother and the Seeker.

'Rick? Are you all right?' Ardeth asked, switching to the bond. 'To think this day started so normally.'

'I will be,' Rick said nodding solemnly. At Ardeth's comment, he laughed. 'Don't they all?' He stood next to Ardeth angling his sword defensively as they waited for the rest of the Dragon Corps to make up their mind about defecting. Kahlan moved to Richard's side, glancing over at him to make certain he was okay. And Zed took up position behind the soldiers, able to fight again now that he didn't have to worry about the Mord'sith.

That pretty much decided the soldiers—none of them wanted to be roasted alive by wizard's fire. Ardeth nodded as the men dropped their weapons. "Wise decision. Now, place your hands behind your heads and kneel."

The men obeyed his orders though not really understanding why they felt compelled to obey this whelp aside from the fact that he was an incredibly gifted fighter.

Rick held his scimitar extended in case any of them were trying to get them to lower their guard, only sheathing the blade once Richard and Kahlan had secured all of them. Then he looked over his brother, sensing through the bond if he had been injured in any way.

Sensing what Rick was doing, Ardeth rolled his eyes. "I am uninjured, my brother. Now, what happened to your hand?"

"I don't know," Rick shook his head, looking down at his hand which was still throbbing. "All I did was grab her weapon."

Richard's face darkened. "The Agiel causes severe pain to anyone who touches it, whether they're wielding it or not," he explained.

"That is terrible!" Ardeth shook his head, and took Rick's hand, running his own fingers over the burn, drawing away the pain. Once done, he turned to face Richard, Kahlan, and Zed. "Would you please share how exactly we were summoned here?"

Richard and Kahlan turned to look curiously at Zed, their expressions clearly showing that they were looking for an explanation of the sudden reinforcement as well.

Zed shrugged. "I was summoning an elemental to fight on our side," he explained. "It's been a while since my last summoning of their kind; I must have gotten the spell wrong. And it's a good thing I did. An elemental would be bound to the will of whomever summoned it, and if it had come it would have done the Mord'sith's will since she reflected the spell. But having summoned beings with a will of their own," he motioned at the boys, "they would have to chose which side they would fight for."

"Yes, well, that does complicate matters slightly." Ardeth shook his head. "You may have gotten the spell wrong, but as the original castor, we are still bound here until you use the release spell. Father is not going to be happy with us."

Zed nodded quickly. "I'm not sure how I got the spell wrong, but if we travel to the hills of Lathander, I will be able to find the spell to send you home."

Kahlan turned and looked at the wizard concerned. "But that would bring us within five leagues of the People’s Palace, Darken Rahl's main fortress."

"Darken who?" Rick asked not recognizing the name.

"Darken Rahl is an evil tyrant who controls the lands and wants to rule the world. We are trying to find a way to kill him," Richard told them, cleaning off his blade and sheathing it.

Ardeth glanced at Rick. "Someday, we are going to end up in a peaceful place, where there is no evil, and where we can have a vacation."

Rick chuckled. "We keep saying that, and it never seems to happen. But I agree, buddy. I'd say we're already long overdue." He turned and looked at the others. "So who are you?"

"This is Zeddicus Zu’l Zorandor. This is Kahlan Amnell. And I'm Richard Cypher," the Seeker introduced them. "Thanks for giving us a hand."

"I am Ardeth Bey, and this is my twin, Rick O'Connell." Ardeth said, inclining his head formally.

Rick nodded to the adults who seemed to regard them with confusion upon Ardeth's statement. 'Isn't it funny how people always do that when we first meet and they hear that?' he told his brother through their bond.

'It is. Their expressions are amusing enough that I intend to always do it.' Ardeth admitted, hiding his grin.

Rick laughed at that, shaking his head at Ardeth's smile. He looked at the adults. "It's a long story," he answered the inquisitive looks on their faces.

Richard shrugged and looked at the D'haran soldiers. "Well, if we are taking our new friends to Lathander, we'd probably better drop off this bunch with our allies."

Kahlan looked over at Richard, worried that as usual he was being a little too trusting of these newcomers. "Richard," she said in a hushed tone, "are you so sure that we should bring these boys with us to the rebels? How do we know we can trust them?"

Richard looked at her puzzled. "They helped us fight a Mord'sith and a hoard of Rahl's legionnaires. I don't think they would have done that if they were on his side."

Kahlan sighed heavily, and resolved to keep a close eye on the boys. Zed nodded at her, silently telling her he would watch as well.

Ardeth and Rick were checking their supplies. "I had my emergency pack with me—I had just finished refilling it. You?" Ardeth asked, going over to where he had dropped the small pack and picking it up again.

"Barely," Rick said with a wry grin. "I had just picked it up to move it out of my way as I was trying to get to something else." He looked inside. It wasn't completely refilled but mostly. He looked around as he shouldered the worn leather bag. "So, I take it we're not anywhere near Egypt," he commented taking in the lush green forest.

"I think not. I also think that we are not in our own world anymore. Can you feel the difference in the magic in the air?" Ardeth shivered lightly. "There is a great evil overshadowing this place."

"Of course there is," Rick sighed heavily. "We're going to have to bring back a note or a witness this time to prove to Dad that it was not our fault."

Ardeth snickered. "Did you know that he has fully half of the spell-crafters and other masters of magic searching to find why you and I attract so much trouble?"

"No, but it doesn't surprise me," Rick said smiling at Ardeth.

Richard stared down at them a bemused smile on his face. "So I take it this happens to you guys a lot?" he asked, laughter in his voice.

"More than you can imagine. Ever since Rick and I met in the marketplace in Cairo, we have been to more dimensions than hundreds of generations of Med-jai have ever traveled to." Ardeth told him, grinning.

Richard's eyes widened as he shook his head in surprise. "Wow, well at least you guys seem to be used to this sort of thing, and come very well prepared even for a last minute trip."

"Where are you from?" Kahlan asked.

"We are from the Sahara, in Egypt. Planet Earth." Ardeth said, settling his emergency pack in place and pulling his robes closer around himself. He was very glad that he had on his plain robes.

Kahlan shook her head. "I have never heard of those lands or the plane that you come from."

"Not many we run into have," Rick replied.

With a sigh, Ardeth glared at a few of the men who were refusing to cooperate in heading through the forest. His glare was enough to persuade them to behave, for now. "What is this place we are in?"

"You are in the Midlands," Zed answered, "A dangerous place right now to those who oppose Darken Rahl, but the Seeker is fighting to change that." He rested a proud hand on Richard's shoulder.

"The Seeker?" As the group moved off, Ardeth and Rick instinctively moved closer together, each watching the other's blind spots.

The group stopped. Zed chuckled. "Well, you boys must be a long way from home if you've never heard of the Seeker. The Seeker is a hero that rises up in a time of need to defeat evil and protect the realms of our world. Richard here is our current True Seeker, prophesied to defeat Darken Rahl and bring peace to our lands."

"So you only have one Med-jai at a time in this place? That is unusual."

They looked at Ardeth in confusion. "Med-jai?" Richard asked, not recognizing the term, looking to see if Kahlan or Zed knew what that was.

Neither the wizard or Confessor knew the term. Ardeth shrugged. "In our lands, the Med-jai are people sworn to defend mankind. We are the sacred protectors that fight evil. These markings on my cheeks show that I am a Med-jai."

Richard looked at the two boys seeing that Rick bore similar markings to his brother. "You're both Med-jai? If this is true I wonder if each world and plane has its own Seeker to defend them," he thought out loud as the group began moving again. "But that would mean that you're Seekers too?" Richard asked in confusion.

Zed shrugged. "There is an easy way to see that. Richard, see if these young men can hold the Sword."

Richard stopped and unsheathed his sword handing it slowly over to Ardeth and watching in surprise as the blade began to glow, as it did when he held it.

"Is it supposed to do that?" Ardeth asked, feeling the magic of the blade move to welcome his hold. His scimitar shivered against his hip, protesting him touching another weapon.

Kahlan stared at him shocked. "Only in the hands of a True Seeker," she murmured, stunned that this boy could be a Seeker, that there could even be more than one Seeker at a time, especially since they had waited for a thousand years for Richard.

Handing it over to Rick, Ardeth rested his hand on the hilt of his scimitar, hoping to calm her. He hissed and pulled his hand away abruptly. "Beset!" Shaking his hand, the boy glared at the scimitar. "All I did was hold it! I'm not trying to replace you!"

Rick chuckled at Beset's jealousy then watched as the Sword of Truth also began to glow in his hands. "Whoa," he breathed as he felt the inherent power of the blade reaching out to him.

Richard, Kahlan, and Zed exchanged stunned glances. "Three True Seekers? How is this possible?" Kahlan asked Zed.

"I don't know, Kahlan," he said. "In all my years and all my studies, I've never heard of such a thing happening. I didn't even know it was possible."

Rick looked around at the adults. "What exactly does this mean?" he asked, handing the sword back to Richard.

"I don't exactly know." Zed admitted, running a hand over his chin. "This is beyond my experience."

Rick looked over at his brother out of the corner of his eye. "You do realize if we do end up fighting this Darken what's-his-face, Dad will not let us leave Kiriyah Gan for a year at least. Though right now, that doesn't sound too bad."

"He hasn't let us leave since our adventures before my birthday, and it has been nearly two months. I cannot stand being trapped, even in such a wondrous place as home, for so long. And I doubt you are feeling any less trapped than I, my twin."

Rick nodded. That time spent with the slavers still dwelt in the back of his consciousness, and even though both he and Ardeth were doing a good deal better than they had been right after they were rescued, it was a constant presence in the back of their minds. "I certainly don't want to be in that position again anytime soon," Rick murmured, then scoffed. "I don't think I ever want to be in that position again, but we both know better than to make bets on those odds."

"Were you two held prisoner?" Richard asked, intensely curious.

Ardeth shook his head. "Our father wanted to try to keep us safe after our last adventure, so he has had us stay home for almost two months."

Richard smiled but the look in his eyes seemed sad. "That sounds like something my dad would have done," he said quietly.

Ardeth's eyes focused on Richard. "You lost your father recently." It wasn't a question. "I am sorry for your loss."

Richard just nodded quietly as they kept walking.

The group was mostly silent for a while before a few of the prisoners started complaining that they were tired and needed food and water. Ardeth rolled his eyes.

Rick chuckled, seeing his brother's reaction. But the group stopped briefly for a rest. Those who might have thought about using the opportunity to escape needed only to look at the wizard who was watching them like a hawk to find encouragement to turn their minds towards other matters.

"How far away is this place that we are going to?" Ardeth asked, settling onto an old fallen tree. He glanced around the forest, listening to the sounds, trying to learn the typical noises of this new place.

"Not too far, we should reach the rebels by mid afternoon. And then it's a two day journey on horseback to Lathander," Richard answered. "It's good that the timing of your arrival worked out the way it did. We were headed in the opposite direction when we got waylaid earlier."

"But we're going to have to be very careful as we go. It won't take long for Darken Rahl to hear that we escaped and to send more of his troops to finish the job," Kahlan warned, still uneasy from the attack earlier. There had been a couple of points when Richard could have been injured, but the D'harans had been hesitant to take advantage of this, which made her worry, especially if the Mord'sith were involved, that Rahl still meant to capture and turn the Seeker.

"Tell us more about this Darken Rahl. What powers does he have? What is his appearance? How many people does he command?" Ardeth asked, pulling out his scimitar and working on polishing the blade. Several times he winced and pulled back as Beset made her displeasure known.

"He has a great deal of dark magic, and many sorcerers to aid him in his evil plots. And he commands a good deal of the armies of the people across the three realms, not to mention the entire force of D'hara," Zed replied.

“He's tall, has dark shoulder length hair, a small beard and mustache, and usually wears blood-red robes," Richard described him, remembering vividly his recent encounter the tyrant he was prophesied to kill. The frustration that Rahl had been able to escape shown in his eyes as he gazed off into nowhere in particular, lost in his memories of how evil this man was.

"It is interesting how many of the creatures prefer red and black colors to wear." Ardeth shook his head. "Well, Rick and I are fairly skilled in magic, so we should be able to help stop his dark magic."

Richard looked at the two, shaking his head. "No, it's too dangerous. We can't risk you to Darken Rahl’s forces."

"It's not like we're exactly helpless," Rick commented good-naturedly, reminding them of the battle earlier that day.

Zed tilted his head considering. "They did stand against a Mord'sith and survive. That's rare enough among trained men from our own world."

"We are both of age now, so you cannot believe us to be children. I have trained all my life in fighting against evil, and Rick has gone through intensive training the past several years. You have no reason to turn away two skilled warriors."

Ardeth had a point. Richard looked between Zed, Kahlan, and the two Med-jai. "Alright, you can help us fight," he said nodding. "If it gets too rough, let us handle it. These warriors are probably different from the ones you are used to fighting. But you're right, we could use the extra help."

Inclining his head gravely, Ardeth smiled at Richard. "We are honored to be of assistance."

'Here we go again,' Rick teased his brother with a mischievous grin.

'If we can get out of this with no injuries, maybe we can convince Father that it's safe to let us leave the city again.' Ardeth grinned back at Rick.

'Why is it always 'if'?' Rick chuckled as he handed his brother some food out of his pack.

'I do not know.' Ardeth accepted the food with a smile. 'Thank you, my brother.'

'You're welcome,' Rick answered taking out some food for himself. Looking around, he began to note the contrasts to this place as opposed to the desert or even the forests and gardens of his and Ardeth's home. It was fairly nice here, but it was still very foreign to what he was used to. After a while, the group was on their way again.

The rest of the day's journey passed by uneventfully. Richard took it upon himself to start teaching Rick and Ardeth some woodcraft.

Suddenly, something drew Richard's full attention and soon had the others' as well. Apparently while no one had been watching, one of the D'harans had managed to slip away unnoticed.


	2. Chapter 2

Richard cast about warily drawing his sword as he approached the area where the officer had been sitting, trying to see if he could track which way the man had gone.

"Richard? What is it?" Zed asked, coming over. Ardeth and Rick exchanged a glance and did a head count—one of the prisoners was missing.

"Mummy's breath!" Ardeth glared at the other captives. "How long ago did he run off?"

"A few minutes before you guys noticed he was missing," the officer answered grudgingly.

"Wonderful," Rick muttered, looking around for any trace of him.

"We have to get him back," Richard said, his eyes fixed on the ground, following the faint traces of the trail the escaped prisoner had left behind. "He may have overheard where we were headed." With that, he drew his sword and began to track the man into the forest.

Kahlan hurried after Richard, and Ardeth turned his attention to the other prisoners. "None of you will move without permission right now." His black eyes glittered with intensity.

Some grumbled, but they all obeyed his command. After a few minutes, Richard and Kahlan came back, frustrated looks on their faces.

"Well, what happened?" Zed asked, not too encouraged by their expressions.

"He must have met up with a battalion of D'haran troops," Richard explained. "His tracks vanished and the ground was covered with hoof prints from a mounted unit. The tracks head back to the fort."

"Well, we will just have to hope that he did not hear where the rebels are located. We must warn them to change locations." Zed said, shaking his head. "We must increase our pace, though."

The group nodded in agreement and began hurriedly ushering the D'harans to the rebel base. Soon they were approaching a small farm, though both Ardeth and Rick knew better than to assume that this location was ill-equipped for detaining prisoners. Sure enough as soon as the party stepped foot into the barn, they were greeted by two dozen crossbows, each one aimed at a heart. But a voice broke out from the group. "Hold your fire, and lower your weapons! It's the Seeker!" A man stepped forward, smiling warmly at Richard.

Richard smiled back as the two friends embraced for a second. "Chase! It's good to see you again. How is your family?"

"They are doing well, Richard. It looks like you have been busy." Chase said, stepping back from the Seeker and surveying the group.

"In more ways than one," he assured the man, his face turning serious. “I need you to keep an eye on these men for me. But one of them escaped from us before we could reach you. He may have overheard where we were headed and tell his superiors. He'll probably use that information to keep them from executing him for deserting. Is the fallback location ready to be used?"

"Yeah, it's ready—we just finished getting it ready last week." Chase turned and nodded to the men. They immediately took charge of the prisoners, and some of them started packing things up. "How goes the search for Darken Rahl? We've heard rumors of several more villages that you freed."

"Slowly but surely," Richard said, a small smile on his face. It was encouraging to think that people were beginning to stand up for themselves against the oppression that Rahl had brought to the land. "We're not sure where he is now. We were on our way to gather intelligence from one of our outposts in a village when we ran into Rahl's men."

"Somehow they knew where we were. They ambushed us, and if it wasn't for an accident with some magic, we probably would have been captured." Kahlan interjected, stepping forward. "They were commanded by a Mord'sith, and as far as I can tell, they are still trying to capture the Seeker."

Chase's expression darkened. He didn't know any of the details, but he knew Richard had been captured by the Mord'sith before, and from what he had heard of their order... He looked into the Seeker's eyes. "Do you need me to come along?"

"Thanks, Chase, but I think we'll be fine. Come meet our newest friends—even you'll be impressed with them, I think!" Richard said, clapping Chase on the shoulder.

Chase nodded following Richard over to the two Med-jai who were helping to guard the D'harans as the rebels were moving them to temporary holding as they prepared to leave. Rick and Ardeth turned and greeted the captain as he walked over with Richard. Chase looked at them. They seemed a little young to be fighting, but he could tell by their stance and the way they gripped their swords that these two were more competent than one would first suspect.

"It is an honor to meet you," he said nodding to them.

"The honor is ours." Ardeth said, turning from the prisoners to greet the man. "I am Ardeth Bey, and this is my twin, Rick O'Connell."

The man's eyebrows raised and Rick nudged his brother gently, a smile on his face.

"This is Chase Brandstone," Richard said introducing the other to them. "He's one of my family's closest friends from Hartland across the boundary."

Ardeth suddenly straightened, head high. "Rick, can you sense that change?"

Rick stiffened. Closing his eyes, he stretched out with his senses trying to find what Ardeth had discovered. His eyes suddenly snapped back open. "Great, he knows we're close." He turned to Richard, who was looking at the two worriedly. "We have to get out of here now."

"How are your magic levels, my brother? Are you up to casting a cloaking spell with me?" Ardeth asked, after glancing around at all the things that still had to be done.

Rick nodded and placed his hand on Ardeth's shoulder to combine his magic with his brother's. Richard watched in surprise and felt something like a breeze run through him as the Med-jai hid their location from the enemy. Rick looked at Ardeth. "I'm not sure how long it will last since we're in a different world now. But we should get moving soon."

Shaking his head, Ardeth pulled his shoulders back and turned to the prisoners. "You are going to behave, are you not?" he asked, voice deceptively soft.

After a moment, the men began nodding. Kahlan looked at Ardeth in half-alarm, half-amusement. "If I didn't know better I'd say you were a male confessor," she wondered out loud.

"What is a confessor?" Ardeth asked, cocking his head to one side.

"It's what I am, we have the power to enslave people's mind to our will. But we've been trained to use it only in greatest need when there is no other option and lives are at stake." Kahlan explained.

"While I'm sure the boy finds this fascinating maybe you can instruct him in the ways of your order once we are safely away?" Zed suggested pushing Kahlan, Richard, Ardeth and Rick quickly out the door.

Ardeth rolled his eyes, and scanned the area as they left the house. "I do not control their minds—I merely use the aura my family possesses to convince them that it is unwise to oppose me."

Richard chuckled. "If only it were that easy for all of us."

The boy grinned at Richard. "Father has been training me since I was very young to use all of my talents in the sacred duties. Although, I must admit that it works much better now that I am taller. I tried the look on some ladies once when I was young, and it created a tremendous response of pinched cheeks and bribes of cake."

Richard laughed at this, he had had similar responses from the motherly figures he'd known in Hartland. "And then you run screaming for your life before they pinch your cheeks right off," he commented, relating his experience with such matters. Soon, they had reached the outer edged of the forest near the farm when he froze, a very concentrated look on his face. "Get down," he whispered after a moment.

Everyone dropped the ground immediately. "What is it, Richard?" Kahlan hissed, from where she was next to him.

Richard's eyes swept the landscape in the direction he heard the sounds coming from. "Horses. It could be the D'harans that picked up the soldier we lost." They all ducked down under the bushes as the battalion passed by, bearing the banner of Darken Rahl. After they had passed well out of sight Richard sighed. "They'll probably be sweeping the area looking for us and the rest of the rebels. We're going to have to be very careful."

"Let's move—it's nearly dark, and there are a lot of creatures out in this forest at night." Chase told them, shuddering as he glanced up at the trees.

Richard, Kahlan, and Zed nodded falling into the shadows with Chase. Rick and Ardeth were right behind them. "As long as we don't run into any scarabs," Rick commented to his brother.

At that, the younger boy shuddered. "Scarabs are evil! But at least we know the banishing spell for them now."

"Let's hope we don't have to use it," Rick said. "I have a feeling we'll need that energy for other spells before we reach home. But at least our levels wasn't drained by the spell to bring us here."

"This is true. My reserves are almost completely full--how are yours? And do you have any of that magical energy boosting potion Amir made for us?"

"Mine are good." Rick looked at his brother before quickly scouring his pack and with drawing a couple of vials. "Thank you Amir! Got them right here," he said with a smile on his face, holding one out for his brother to keep in his pack.

"No, I have several. Actually, he stuffed almost ten in here." Ardeth said, grinning. "You would think that he doesn't trust me to stick to my reserves."

"Ten?!" Rick laughed. "...Yeah that sounds about like the amount that we'd need."

"What exactly are you two talking about?" Richard asked, looking over his shoulder at them. "Are you both wizards?"

"Not really, but we do have magic," Rick replied.

"Huh. Do all Seekers in your world have magic?" the Seeker asked, glancing around the forest to check for any danger.

“Not all of us do,” Rick shook his head. “Some of the Med-jai do, especially twins, which is why Ardeth and I have a greater ability to harness that power.”

“Speaking of twins, how exactly are you two twins? You look nothing alike!” Richard said, glancing from Rick’s light brown hair to Ardeth’s black hair.

Rick smiled slightly, knowing the question would come up sometime. "When I was born, my twin brother died in childbirth. Only a few years later my parents became sick and died as well. I was an orphan. Ardeth and I met when we were fourteen. He was being hunted by the enemy of his tribe. By the end of that adventure, it was discovered that I was a Med-jai as well, so his father adopted me. For some reason we found that we shared a bond that is only shared by Med-jai twins, and we didn't know why until we discovered that my twin brother, David, his soul had been reborn in Ardeth." Rick paused shaking his head. This fact continued to amaze him, even though they had known for years now. "Ardeth is my twin brother."

Ardeth grinned at the stunned looks on the faces of the adults around them. "It is unusual for this to happen, but things similar to this have happened before."

Zed looked at the two of them in amazement. "I have lived many years and seen nothing like that happen here. It is possible, but even more rare here than the birth of a True Seeker. Clearly you were destined to stand together to fight against evil." He began to ponder this. This might have more implications than even he suspected.

"Maybe he was reborn because he is a True Seeker," Kahlan wondered out loud.

The young Med-jai shrugged. "My family, the Beys, have been Med-jai, or Seekers, for thousands of years. I do not believe there has been a single generation where there was not at least one Med-jai from our family."

"Well, because of our twin bond our powers are stronger especially when we are using magic on each other, like healing spells and others. The bond we share strengthens us." Rick smirked a little. "Our dad has often claimed that it's probably the main factor to explain why we have survived as long as we have."

"I think Amir and Gen have taken up that theory themselves." Ardeth said, shaking his head.

"As long as we survive, does it matter?" Rick joked, shrugging. "We always manage to hobble home."

"Or Father carries us." Ardeth turned his head a little, listening. "We are being followed."

Richard drew his sword slowly from its sheath, and the group hid in the brush. All eyes scoured the forest looking for any signs of movement.

"Above us!" Ardeth's voice was a whisper. "I saw a shadow to our left, but it must have landed."

"Landed?" Richard asked with apprehension, not liking the implications of that statement. He, Kahlan, Zed, and Chase exchanged glances. "Gars," the Seeker breathed. He turned back to the Med-jai. "What ever you do, don't make a sound." His eyes shone with wariness as he imparted this grave warning.

The boys both nodded. 'Well, it will be tricky to communicate with them, but not with each other.' Ardeth said, through the bond, scanning the treetops carefully.

'Well at lest we have that advantage,' Rick said nodding as he drew his revolvers silently from their holsters, glad he had reloaded them on the journey to the farm.

Suddenly there was an unearthly shriek and what looked like a huge bat dropped down into the clearing a few feet from the group. Rick's eyes widened as he took in the beast. It was as tall as a man and its fangs glistened in the sunlight filtering through the trees.

Richard immediately charged it, putting himself between the rest of the group and the creature.

'That thing is ugly!' Ardeth called through the bond, standing and circling to block the creature from getting past Richard.

'No kidding!' Rick replied as he cocked the hammers covered by the sounds of the creature's low growl as he moved to flank the creature as well.

The creature howled in rage as the Sword of Truth bit deep into its wing as it moved to avoid the blow Richard had leveled at its neck. It thrust itself, claws and teeth bared, at the human who had dared attack it. In that moment, another Gar came into the clearing, the other one that Ardeth had heard landing. It came at Ardeth from behind. Seeing the threat to his brother, Rick took aim and shot at its chest, hoping its vital organs were in the same place as most of the creatures he had faced of with in the past.

Whirling, Ardeth's scimitar flashed, and neatly chopped off the Gar's head. The boy made a face at the smell, and turned back to help Richard after flashing a grin at Rick.

Rick was smiling too until he saw another two gars coming at them through the trees. 'Great, they travel in packs,' he thought grimly as he turned his guns on them. But suddenly both were consumed by wizard's fire as Zed took them down with his magic.

Richard had stepped back just in time to avoid the gar's charge. spinning and twirling his sword and neatly decapitating the foul beast.

"I do not sense any more of the creatures." Ardeth said, quietly, wrinkling his nose at the smell from the Gars.

"The D’harans are probably using the gars to hunt us, or at least to slow us down," Kahlan said.

Richard cleaned off the sword before sheathing it again. "We better hurry, then. I'll go try to draw them off onto some false trails."

Kahlan shook her head adamantly. "You can't go alone. What if they catch you again by yourself?"

"I will go with him. I have some training in tracking." Ardeth said, exchanging a glance with Rick.

"I'll go too." Rick said nodding as he reloaded his guns.

Richard turned to Kahlan, Zed and Chase. "Get everyone to the new location. We'll catch up with you after we loose the D'harans."

Zed and Chase nodded, but Kahlan looked at Richard hesitant. She didn't like being separated from him, even for a moment. It was her duty as his confessor to protect him. But she was not anywhere as skilled at tracking as Richard was, and at length agreed. "Be careful, Richard," she breathed.

He grinned at her. "Don't worry. You be careful, too." After staring at Kahlan for another long moment, memorizing her face once again, the Seeker hoisted his pack over one shoulder and started off through the trees. Rick and Ardeth followed.

The three Seekers wandered off through the trees tracing back over their trail and carefully erasing any trace that they had ever been there. Rick was impressed with Richard's skills at work. As they moved he would never have been able to tell that the forest had ever been disturbed by man's passage.

"You are very skilled at this work." Ardeth told Richard as they worked. The boy scattered a handful of leaves over a scuff mark left by one of the prisoners, hiding all signs of it.

"Thanks," Richard said smiling at the compliment. "I was raised a woodsman. I really didn't even know much about fighting until I got the Sword of Truth a few months back. But these skills have come in fairly handy since I was named as Seeker."

"I would imagine so. Fate and destiny have a way of taking the skills that we are best at and using those to protect the world."

Once Richard had hidden their trail, he began to forge other trails leading in different directions, making it look as if the party had split up to make it harder for them to be captured.

While laying down a false trail, Ardeth found a creek. He paused next to it, staring at the green moss growing on the rocks. The soft colors and trickling of water reminded him strongly of the garden outside his window in the palace of Kiriyah Gan.

Rick felt his brother's thoughts wander towards home. He placed a hand on his shoulder. 'Missing home?'

'A little.' Ardeth admitted, nudging a stick into the stream with his toe. 'As wonderful as it is to have some freedom, to be out of the valley, it is still home. I only hope that this spell that brought us here involves a time change, so that we will not be gone very long at home.'

'If not I'm sure Dad would come and find us,' Rick thought with a small smile. 'We will see it again soon,' he said giving Ardeth's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. 'We still have a destiny to fulfill, sacred sites to protect... pranks to pull.' His grin was wicked as he thought of their last exploit along those lines.

At that, the younger boy laughed. 'This is true.' Ardeth shook his head, and turned his attention back to the trail they were laying. 'All right, back to work.'

But Richard had frozen. As the boys immediately followed suit, they could hear the forest had grown unnaturally silent. Rick drew his guns casting about their surroundings as he took a defensive stance in the midway between Richard and Ardeth.

Several red-clad figures leapt out of the tress at them—nearly a dozen Mord’sith. Ardeth drew his scimitar in one hand and a long dagger in the other, not liking the odds of this fight.

The enemy boxed them in on all sides. With dread they realized that Rahl's troops must have had several units sweeping the forest in different directions to surround them as they had.

Rick began to let lead fly at the Mord'sith, and the Sword of Truth appeared in Richard's hand in a heartbeat, a grim look on his face as they all began to engage the overwhelming force.

The Mord’sith circled closer and closer to the three Seekers, drawing them away from each other so that their backs were exposed. Ardeth moved in a whirlwind of black robes and flashing blades, blocking the blows of the three attacking him. As he moved, he saw one coming up behind Rick. He threw his dagger, killing the lady, then turned back to the enemies around him.

'Thanks,' Rick called out to his brother through their bond barely having caught the movement in time to see the woman's body dropping to the forest floor. He traded his guns for his blade as the enemy drew in nearer. He let go of his fear of their overwhelming position and focused only on his training, scimitar singing through the air as it caught one of the Mord'sith around him.

Six were advancing on Richard. He was their main objective. Darken Rahl also wanted these strange new comers, but he would be satisfied with the Seeker's capture if it came to it.

'Rick! When I give the signal, use the switching spell at the same time as me! We might be able to take some of them out that way!' Ardeth called through the bond.

Rick agreed, quickly assessing Ardeth's situation out of the corner of his eye so he would be prepared to take them on. 'Ready when you are!'

'Now!' A flash of light startled the Mord'Sith, and then the two boys switched places. Both lunged immediately, taking advantage of their opponent's surprise.

Rick took down two of the Mord'Sith when he heard a slight cry of pain behind him. He turned and saw Richard go down under the blows of the two Mord'Sith that had caught him between their attacks as he had dealt with the other four. The distraction cost him as the Mord'Sith fighting against Rick jabbed her Agiel into the boy's side. Rick stifled his cry but nearly lost his grip on his scimitar.

'Rick?' Ardeth asked, sensing his twin's pain. He was struggling to keep up with the Mord'Sith surrounding him—there were just too many to keep at a distance.

'Richard's down,' he called to his brother before sustaining another blow from the woman advancing on him. She wrested the blade from his grasp, striking him a third time driving the boy to his knees.

Their prime target neutralized, the Mord'Sith that had been fighting Richard divided and advanced on the boys, intent on accomplishing the second part of their mission.

Panting now, Ardeth spat out a quick spell that sent the Mord'Sith around him falling back. He ran over to Rick, going back-to-back with the older boy. 'It looks like Richard is unconscious, but they aren't trying to kill him.'

'I guess Kahlan was right about them still wanting to take him alive. We can't let them take him,' Rick grunted as he regained his sword and then his footing barely in time to block another swing the woman in front of him was aiming at his chest.

In a moment, the other Mord'Sith had recovered from Ardeth's spell and moved to join the three circling the boys.

'They also seem to want to grab us. This could be bad.' Ardeth gasped as an Agiel connected with his side, but pushed away the pain and continued the desperate sword dance.

Rick pushed in front of his brother instinctively raising his hand and casting a spell to throw the Mord'Sith that had hurt Ardeth to the ground. For a split second before the spell hit her she smiled as if she were amused at the boy's attempt. But that smile turned to surprise as she found she could not rebound the spell, catching the full impact and flying through the air.

Ardeth twirled around Rick, protecting his brother's back from the Mord'Sith there. Both boys were getting tired now. They were well-trained even by Med-jai standards, but they lacked the stamina of adults.

There was one Mord'Sith watching from the edge of the battle. Soon, they will all be mine, she mused to herself as she gazed on the fight with pleasure. It may have cost her a few of her number but that could easily be remedied soon enough.

Rick could feel weariness starting to drag at him as the battle wore on. There were so many of them and everywhere they managed to land a blow, no matter how light, seared with pain.

Ardeth went down first. The Mord'Sith he had just stabbed held onto the blade, not giving him time to free it. Two of the other red-clad ladies jumped on him, one pinning his arms while the other brought her Agiel down on the back of his neck. He blacked out almost immediately, his body unable to deal with the pain.

"No!" Rick cried, trying to come to his brother's aid. But the other Mord'Sith let Ardeth fall to the ground and immediately turned on O'Connell. 'Ardeth!' he called through the bond trying to reach him. But in seconds the remaining Mord'Sith had disarmed him, kicking the scimitar out of reach and driving the Agiel down on his back right on his spine. He crumpled to the ground as the world gave way to darkness.

A blond Mord'Sith stepped out of the shadows, "Bring them. Do ensure that they will not wake up during the journey."

"Yes, Mistress," the others responded dutifully. As the others were binding the prisoners, one woman took out a vial and poured a few drops of its contents into each Seeker's mouth. After this had been done, they piled their captives in a cart they had brought.

The leader of the Mord' Sith smiled, her eyes glittering cruelly. "Yes, Lord Rahl will be most pleased."


	3. Chapter 3

Ardeth woke silently. He lay still for a moment, trying to figure out where he was and why his head hurt so much. Water dripped nearby, and the boy rolled over, wincing at the ache where the Agiel had touched him. Rick and Richard were in the cell a little ways away from where the Med-jai prince lay.

Rick was still out, but Richard was coming around. His eyes widened at the familiar sight, smell, and sound of this place. But then he began looking around for Rick and Ardeth in the dim light afraid of what the Mord'Sith might have done with them. Seeing them he was at least relieved to know where they were. "Are you alright?" he asked Ardeth in a hushed tone, almost afraid of the prince's answer.

"I am a little sore, but I will be fine. Are you all right?" Ardeth made a face as he realized that all of them were stripped to the waist, leaving them exposed to the cold. It also revealed the many tattoos he bore. Shivering from the damp stones, he pulled Rick into his lap, getting his twin off of the floor.

Richard's head hung slightly as he gave a hollow laugh, his voice barely audible. 'Not so happy to be back in this place, again,' he whispered.

At being moved around, Rick began to stir. As his eyes opened, he looked up at his brother. Remembering what had happened before he had passed out, his brow furrowed and he reached up towards his brother with one hand and pushing himself into a sitting position with the other. "Are you okay?" he asked, as he looked at the area of Ardeth's neck he had felt the Agiel connect with.

"I will be fine, my brother. Are you injured?" Ardeth asked, making a face as Rick pushed aside his hair. Gently, he batted Rick's hands aside.

But Rick insisted, pushing Ardeth’s hand away, then lay his hand over the mark he found from the Agiel. Murmuring a few words in Arabic, he cast a healing spell to take the pain away. “I’m alright,” he said answered his brother. After a second, he began looking around for Richard. Finding him, he noticed the unnerved and familiar expression on his face, recognizing it immediately. ‘He’s been here before,’ he realized. He quickly averted his eyes so Richard would not think the boy was staring at him, then shifted to sitting on his knees in the straw so he could be a little more comfortable. “Okay. What’s our plan? How do we get out of here?” he spoke, trying to help Richard focus on escaping and not on the painful memories this place obviously brought him.

Richard shook himself out of his memories and looked at the two boys. "The last time I was here, I only escaped because Kahlan came to try to rescue me. The Mord'Sith in charge here, Denna, had broken me completely."

Ardeth sighed, looking over the stone walls. "She will find it difficult to break all three of us, I am certain. She will probably try to turn us against each other, but that impossible to do with Rick and I. Our bond would prevent anything like that." The boy bit his lip, trying to think of a way to protect Richard. "Of course! If you have no objections, Richard, I will cast a protection spell on you. It will not last for more than a day, but hopefully it will give us a chance."

Richard nodded glad to accept any help, but then he looked uncertainly at the boys. "But what about you two? If you use that spell on me, would you have enough strength leftover to protect yourselves?"

Ardeth glanced over at Rick. "Rick will cast the protection spell on you, with my guidance, and I will protect him. I have had training in dealing with people seeking to break me before."

Rick was staring hard at his brother. He didn't much care for the arrangement Ardeth was proposing, and his heart desperately protested even though he knew his brother was right. He had much more training in that area than Rick had, and he knew they both had to protect Richard. But still... "Ardeth..." he began, but he couldn't think of how to word what he felt or of any other viable solutions.

"I know, my brother. But it is the best solution. If need be, I will go to our refuge in the bond." Ardeth said, touching Rick's shoulder gently. "All will be well, Rick."

But Richard seeing this exchange was shaking his head. "No, I'm not gonna sacrifice you for myself—"

"No," Rick cut in, his voice slightly rough, but when he raised his eyes again they were firm. "Ardeth's right. And you've been here before. If anyone has a chance of breaking out of here, it's you." Then as he thought, his expression turned pensive. "Maybe if they take one of us first, and they thought they had broken us, we might be able to convince them that the exlirs we brought in Ardeth's and my pack are a poison for Darken Rahl. And if they think that we meant to use it against Rahl, they might use it against us. In which case one of us could cast the spell on Ardeth."

Richard looked at Rick, considering his words. "It's possible, but that's a lot of 'ifs'."

"Come, let us cast the spells now—we do not know when they will come for us." Ardeth slipped into Rick's mind easily, showing him how to cast the protection spell on Richard.

Rick with Ardeth's help used his magic to shield the Seeker from harm. Then he turned to look at Ardeth, clasping his arm tightly.

With a smile, Ardeth hugged the older boy before stepping back, and casting the spell on Rick. He sagged a little when it was done, then licked his lips and straightened. "What can you tell us of the layout of this place?"

Rick let his brother lean against him, giving him what little protection he could with what was left of his energy levels.

Richard began to draw a small blueprint in the dirt that littered the floor, showing where the guards were to the best of his knowledge. He shook his head. "I'm not sure how accurate this will be. They might have changed the structure of the guard system after Kahlan saved me."

The three of them looked at each other when they heard heavy footsteps coming their way. Ardeth swiped a foot over the map, destroying it so that the enemy wouldn’t know what they had been doing. The door slammed open, and several guards came storming in.

The men looked over at Richard, wicked grins on their faces. "Denna sends her regards and requests you presence," one of them said with mock politeness as the rest of them dragged the Seeker to his feet.

Ardeth met Richard's eyes firmly. "Remember, all she can do to you right now is play mind games. Ignore her, no matter what."

Richard nodded as the men hauled him out of the cell. Rick exchanged a glance with Ardeth once the door slammed shut.

"Well, let us hope that we come out of this without too many injuries. Father is not going to be pleased at all." Ardeth started examining the cell they were in, checking for any weaknesses.

Though the comment was meant as a joke, Rick couldn't laugh knowing that unlike him, his brother would feel every torment these people thought up for him. But he joined his brother in searching the cell. "Next time, it's going to be your turn," he said firmly.

Ardeth rolled his eyes. "Only if you have passed Gen's torture-proofing class."

Rick grabbed his brother's shoulder, spinning him around to face him directly. "I'm serious," he stated. "Who knows when we're going to get out of here, and I'm not letting you go through this alone."

After a moment of studying Rick's face carefully, Ardeth nodded. "Very well, my brother. But we are going to have you take Gen's class as soon as we are home."

Rick nodded satisfied before turning back to examining the door. It was solid, having been fortified physically. But as he examined it he realized that this door was not protected against magic, since the Mord'Sith had yet to face an enemy whose magic was a threat to them. "Ardeth, come over here. This could prove useful once we get our levels up again. Of course we'll have to time it with our estimates of the patrols, and hopefully those are still the same."

"Excellent, Rick. Our levels should be up well before the twenty-four hours of the protection spell wears off." Ardeth examined the door, and grinned. "A simple lock-picking spell will have this open."

Rick shook his head, in confusion. "Why would they leave the door unprotected?"

"I do not know. Why were those Mord'Sith unable to deal with any of our spells? Possibly because we are from another dimension, but still it is strange."

"Yeah, it is," Rick looked at the door for a second longer before returning to sit on the floor. Looking around, he chuckled. "Well, I feel right at home don't you?" he commented taking in the roughly hewn stone walls, the water dripping in, and the musty old smell.

Ardeth laughed. "Have I ever shown you the ancient cellars beneath the palace in Kiriyah Gan? They are somewhat similar to this—they lack the manacles, though."

"I think maybe we should bring Evy once we take down the tyrant in this place. I can see her now, redecorating this place just like she did with Dr. Bey's office when her folks got her that job at the museum."

The younger boy grinned widely. "I like that idea. It would be most entertaining to watch the Cousins try to contain her."

Rick smiled at the thought. "Good luck to them with that."

"That would be a good way to deal with the Cousins, though. It would at least keep them out of the kitchen for a few days. And that means fewer chances of us being poisoned."

Rick beamed. "You have a point. We should have Evy out over every other week! Or send the cousins to stay with Evy. Maybe she can teach them how to cook." He shifted the manacles on his wrists trying to keep it from pinching the skin.

Ardeth saw the movement, and frowned. "Let me see your wrists. I might be able to manage a cushioning charm."

"No it's okay," he said brushing it off casually. "Save your levels. We're going to need them soon."

The younger boy sighed, but let the matter drop. Both grinned when they heard a frustrated scream. "I think this Denna found out about our protection spell."

This notion was confirmed a few minutes later as the door was opened and the Seeker thrown violently into the cell, but the protection over him softened his landing. Denna stood at the door, her imposing stance contrasted by slightly ruffled hair and a bloodied lip which she had garnered in her failed attempts to train Richard. "How?!" she demanded. "How does that old man's magic protect you? No one has magic that can withstand the Mord'Sith!" she declared, more to convince herself and her underlings than her captives.

Ardeth snickered at her expression. 'I am very glad that spell worked. Now, to keep her off balance.'

Rick turned away to keep Denna from seeing that he was laughing at her. He saw Richard was openly laughing at her which infuriated the Mord'Sith even further.

"Lady, your hair seems to be having some difficult. Did you, by chance, encounter a lightning spell?" Ardeth asked her gravely, trying not to laugh.

Denna snarled at the boy angrily, stepping closer and kicking at him. Rick dove at her trying to protect his brother, knocking her feet out from under her.

The guards immediately stepped in, shoving Rick away from Denna. The lady rose to her feet, furious. She pointed at Rick. "Bring him! It is his turn for some training!"

The guards obeyed pulling Rick out of the cell. O'Connell went with them willingly, not wanting them to discover that he was protected by the same magic just yet. 'Tell him about the door,' Rick told Ardeth. 'And please don't anger them.' He didn't want his brother being tortured any sooner than he would be already.

'Do not worry, my brother. I will behave for now. Be careful yourself.' Ardeth turned to Richard once the door was closed and the guards gone. "Are you all right?"

Richard smiled at Ardeth, nodding. "Man, if I ever learn magic by some means, that's the first spell I'm learning."

Ardeth grinned. "Unfortunately, it is impossible to cast it on yourself. It usually works for Rick and I, as we are able to cast it on each other."

“It was so strange!” Richard breathed, looking very puzzled. “She kept trying to harness the magic like they usually do and turn it against me but it didn’t work.”

“I believe that the magic that Rick and I use is completely different than hers, so she would be unable to do anything against it.” Ardeth told him. “It is very difficult for anyone, even the temple guards who train to fight Med-jai, to resist our magic.”

Richard contemplated this for a moment. "That would explain it," he murmured nodding. "Let's just hope it stays that way."

"It will last at least twenty-four hours. The protection spell is one of the most powerful that all Med-jai are taught." Ardeth said, with a smile. "The royal family's activation spells for the protected areas are more powerful, but those are rarely used."

Richard nodded, leaning back against the wall, his breath escaping him at the shock of the cold rock against his bare skin. "I wonder how long it will take for Kahlan, Zed and the others to realize we're gone. I hope they made it past the patrols safely," he said to himself.

Ardeth closed his eyes, reaching through the bond. 'Rick? How is it going?' He asked, making certain that Rick was not injured at all.

'I'm okay,' Rick answered back. 'She's not very happy right now that she can't hurt me either. She's left, I think to see if there's any magical protection spell she might have overlooked.' He looked around the room while she was gone, memorizing every aspect of the room he was in. He was hanging in a pair of manacles over a narrow pit, and had been more than a little disturbed as at seeing many blood splatters on the walls as he had been brought into that room. 'I think that the cell you're in is on about the fifth level of this tower.'

'The fifth level? That is strange, I would have thought it was underground. Well, that will make things a little more challenging.' Ardeth kept part of his attention on Richard, ready to distract him in the older man got caught up in any flashbacks. 'How are your levels doing?'

'Well, there's a lot of shadow on the land out the window. If I had to guess, I'd say this fortress stands against a mountain or at least some pretty big hills,' Rick reasoned. 'My levels are increasing again, but they're not where I like them at the moment.' Thought if Rick were honest with himself, he knew wouldn't be satisfied with his levels until he had enough energy to cast a protection spell over his brother. 'I'll be okay though.'

'Very well. We will do the best we can. I am going to see if I can distract Richard some—warn me when she gets bored of injuring herself.' Ardeth sent a wave of love to his brother as he pulled out of the conversation.

'Be safe, buddy,' Rick said in parting and Ardeth felt that wave returned before he had pulled away.

Richard was sitting in the corner he had landed in staring intently at the floor, almost as if he was afraid to look anywhere else and remind himself of where he was. His hand was massaging a scar just under his ribs, a poignant reminder of the last time he had been a guest at this fortress.

"Tell me, Richard, when did you learn that you were the Seeker?" Ardeth asked, leaning against the stone wall and pulling his knees close to his chest.

Richard looked up at Ardeth, almost as if just remembering that he was in the room. "It was just another ordinary day in my home town. I had just finished building a bridge that had been washed away by the floods last season, and then I saw Kahlan." Richard then went on to tell him of how he had come to her aid, but then was bitten by the poisonous vine that had followed her across the barrier. "I went home and told my dad about what had happened that day and he sent me to see Zed. When I got there, Kahlan was there too, but that's when I passed out from the venom."

Ardeth winced at the description on the poisonous vine. "That is certainly an eventful way to learn of your heritage. I have never had to deal with sentient plants before, and I am very grateful for that. I almost pity whoever had to bring my scimitar back here, though."

Richard chuckled at that. "Yes it is. So is your sword alive? How does it know when you're holding another blade?"

"Beset has been in my family for thousands of years, and all of those who wielded her are strong magically. After so much time and exposure to magic, she is somewhat sentient." The young Med-jai explained, shaking his head a little. "I am one of the youngest to wield her, and so she tends to be somewhat overprotective of me—and she gets very jealous."

Richard smiled. "I wonder if the Sword of Truth is alive. It certainly feels like it at times."

Ardeth shrugged. "For the moment that I held your Sword, I certainly felt a great deal of magical power in it. So you have not been training long, have you?"

Richard shook his head. "No, I only learned about my being a Seeker a few months ago. It's a good thing that I have Zed and Kahlan to help me. I don't think that I would have survived that day if they hadn't helped me."

"Well, when we are out of here, Rick and I will do what we can to help you with your training. From what I have seen, you are excellent with the sword, but you are not using your magic at all."

Richard’s eyebrows raised in confusion. “What? But I don’t have any magic,” he said shaking his head.

“Actually, you do have magic. I can sense it.” Ardeth said, and moved closer to Richard. “Each person’s magic feels different to them—mine feels like a hot spring deep inside of me.”

Richard contemplated Ardeth's words, trying to see if he could sense the magic within himself as he did. But he didn't know what to look for. He scrunched up his face trying to concentrate but still it eluded him. But after a while of focusing, he felt something, and his eyes snapped open in surprise. "It's—it's like a whirlwind..." he breathed in confusion, trying to articulate what he had found, not certain that he was succeeding.

The younger boy grinned. "A whirlwind, full of power, seated just over your heart? To take the form of a whirlwind, your magic must be very wild. Well, then. Are you interested in some basic lessons now, or would you like to wait?"

"Teach me now," Richard requested of the Med-jai prince. "At least if I learn some things, maybe I can be able to help somehow."

"I think the first thing will be to establish a training bond, then." Ardeth moved so that he was in front of Richard, sitting cross-legged, and getting as comfortable as possible. "Get comfortable, this will take a little while."

Richard settled down, adjusting his bindings so that they didn't tug at him. They both froze when they heard footsteps outside of the door, but they simply receded into the distance. Richard breathed a sigh of relief and then turned back to focus on Ardeth.

Once he had the older man's attention, Ardeth started silently casting the spells that would help him form the training bond with Richard. "Have you learned to meditate at all?"

Richard shook his head. "No, that's usually more of Zed's area of expertise," he said with a small smile. Any time he had tried something like this in the past, he had not been able to sit still long enough for it to do any good.

Ardeth nodded. "All right. Pick out your favorite thing to do to relax—whatever it is, I want you to focus only on that until your mind is clear and you are completely relaxed. When you get to that point, you will feel something strange. Do not fight it—that will only be me, initiating a training bond between us."

Richard nodded and closed his eyes. He began to sort through his mind, trying to help him find something that relaxed him, but at the time he really couldn't think of any. And then the image of Kahlan popped into his mind. A smile came over his face without him realizing it. Thinking of her, being with her, always soothed him. These days it was about the only thing that did. Slowly, all of his muscles began to relax and all defenses dropped.

When Richard's natural walls around his mind dropped, Ardeth slipped in, and formed the bond that would help the Seeker learn. Then, he politely knocked on the door of Richard's mind. He had decided it would be best to keep all of their conversations mind-to-mind, so that no one would be able to overhear them.

Richard blinked at the odd sensation, but did not pull away. He could see the prince, and, for some reason he could not discern, they were not in the cell within the tower although part of his consciousness knew they hadn't moved. He cast about curiously, trying to process it all.

'Hello, Richard. Welcome to your mind.' Ardeth said, smiling.

'Whoa, this is weird,' he thought. But he started when he realized that he could hear that thought as if he had spoken it aloud. 'Wait, are you talking to me through your mind?' he asked incredulously.

'Yes, I am. This is a safer way for us to speak—the only person capable of overhearing us is Rick, and he'll knock before coming in,' the prince explained, glancing around the forest Richard's subconscious had created. He settled onto a fallen tree. 'The first thing we are going to do is build up your mental defenses, as you have none right now.'

Richard nodded at length. 'Okay, what do I do?'

Ardeth shrugged a little. 'The most important thing is to have impenetrable walls. This part is easy—just imagine it, and it will happen. We are in your mind, after all.'

Richard looked around the forest, his eye narrowing slightly in concentration and a wall that looked reminiscent of the boundary between Westland and the Midlands instantly went up around the glade where he and Ardeth were sitting. The light shimmered like water in the sunlight casting a faint glow on the trees close to it.

'Excellent. Now, make certain that it completely surrounds your mind--like a sphere, it must protect you from attacks from any direction.' Ardeth told him, going over to the wall and prodding it a few times.

As Richard looked out at the wall again, it rose higher and began to close around them, encasing the woods like a dome. 'How about that?' Richard asked seeing if he had done it right.

Looking around, Ardeth studied the shield, then nodded. 'Very good, Richard. Now, normally I would tell you to keep your shield up, but for right now, there needs to be a shielded gap for the training bond between us. And so that I can get back to my own mind.'

The Seeker's eyebrows raised. 'You mean if I don't you would be trapped here? What would happen if you couldn't get out of someone's mind?'

'Well, it would take a lot of effort for you to keep me trapped in here.' Ardeth told him, wryly. 'If I wanted to, I could break through your defenses in an instant, especially since I saw you make them. But if a person was trapped in someone else's mind for too long—provided they didn't find that person's memories, then their body would eventually die.'

Richard grimaced, quickly allowing a gap in the barrier he had created. He shook his head. 'Okay, that's officially one of the more disturbing ways to go.'

Ardeth laughed. 'It is very rare for that to happen—I have only heard of it happening once, when a man set a trap for one of his mortal enemies, using his own apparently weak mind as the bait. I would not be too concerned about it. Now, come over to my mind for a bit—some of these lessons are easier to show.'

Richard released the barrier and began to follow Ardeth across the bridge he had created to his mind.

The younger boy's mind was surrounded by a range of mountains in the middle of a desert. There appeared to be no way through the mountains.

Richard looked around at the incredibly foreign environment. In all his life, even during the months since he had accepted the name of Seeker, he had never seen a desert. 'So I'm guessing this is what your home looks like,' he said as he felt the warm winds rolling off the dunes and saw the sun shining brilliantly off the sand.

'Yes, this is home. Come on through—this is just the outer defenses.' Ardeth took Richard's hand and led him through a hidden gap in the mountainside to a large cave. 'Since Kiriyah Gan is the safest place I know of, I modeled my mind defenses after it. Come on, this way!'

Richard watched in surprise as the prince seemed to disappear into the rock face and walked after him cautiously, only seeing the secret entrance when he was a couple of feet away from where Ardeth had vanished. 'Wow,' he said following the boy into the Med-jai refuge.

The tunnels didn't take them long to go through—Ardeth led Richard through some shortcuts. Since it was his mind, Ardeth timed it so that as they emerged onto the ledge that overlooked the ancient Med-jai city, the sun was just rising.

Richard looked at the city in awe. His eyes swept over everything in Kiriyah Gan stunned by the sun's rays glinting over the cascading waterfalls that ran like veins throughout the valley, the lush gardens surrounding the village and at the top of a small rise a beautiful palace. 'It's amazing,' he breathed in wonder. 'How could there possibly be a forest like this in the middle of the desert?'

'This is home to all Med-jai. We hide it with our magic. There is water here, abundant water as you can see, so we have no problem with growing things.' Ardeth looked over the city, smiling. 'Come into my home—we will be most comfortable there, and Rick will join us when he can.'

Richard followed Ardeth into the palace, through the corridors and halls, all the way back to a large set of rooms.

'Here we are! Make yourself comfortable—this is the room Rick and I share.'

Richard looked around, astonished. 'You guys live in the palace?' he asked as he moved to sit on one of the couches. 'It's beautiful.'

Ardeth shrugged a little. 'It is only natural to live in the palace—it wouldn't do much good just taking up space, now would it?'

Richard looked at Ardeth for a second. 'Natural? Do all your people live in the palace?' he joked. Then understanding came over his face. 'You're royalty, aren't you?'

'Yes, I am. Father is king of the Med-jai, and I am his heir.' The boy shook his head. 'That does not affect my normal life too much, though—I am still in process of proving myself worthy to be the heir.'

'Wow,' Rick shook his head. 'I've never met royalty before that wasn't corrupt or evil. Of course I've really only met Darken Rahl, and he's not exactly a prime example of leadership,' he chuckled. 'It's good to know that not all leaders are like the one's we've been subjected to.' He smiled appreciatively at Ardeth. 'Your home is beautiful.'

'Thank you. We love it here.' Ardeth pulled a tome out of its place on his shelf, and handed it over to the older man. 'Time moves differently here, so we should be able to get a fair bit done.'

Richard opened the tome, and though it was written in a language he had never seen before, he was surprised to find that he could easily read it. 'I'll never get used to that,' he grinned shaking his head.

'Reading foreign languages? Actually, you will after a while, which makes it challenging when you have to pretend to not know something.'

Richard laughed at that. He began to carefully examine the inscriptions on the first page. 'I'll actually be able to do these sort of things?' he asked in amazement as he read over the various spells the book contained.

'Oh, yes—that is only the basic spell book.' Ardeth pulled one off of the shelf—it was much larger, and looked like it should be falling apart. 'This is the one I am working on.'

'Wow,' Richard said looking over the pages. 'Zed is not going to believe this.' Then he paused and cocked his head for a second, a wry look coming over his face. 'Of course he might already know and have decided not to tell me.' He shook his head. 'They do that a lot.'

The younger boy raised an eyebrow. 'Decide not to tell you something?'

'Yeah,' Richard sighed. 'They say it's for my own good and the good of the mission. And sometimes I can understand but it's very frustrating. Like it was only a few weeks ago I learned that Zed is actually my grandfather.'

'That would be a frustrating thing to have kept from you.' Ardeth shook his head. 'The best way I know of to deal with that is to train to prove that you are able to handle such things.'

Richard nodded in agreement. 'I'm working on it. It's a slow process but I think they're beginning to trust me.'

'This will help, I am certain. Let me know if you have any problems understanding any of that book. It can get complicated at times.'

The Seeker nodded as he turned his eyes down towards the page. The first spell he began looking for was the protection spell that Rick and Ardeth had used earlier. He was almost certain it would be too difficult for him to master so soon, but he wanted to try anyways.

After a while of reading, an urgent knock came on the door of the bedroom. Richard looked up startled by the sudden noise.


	4. Chapter 4

With a flick of his wrist, Ardeth opened the door from where he sat. ‘Is she done playing games with you already, my brother?’ Ardeth asked, looking up at Rick.

'Not exactly,' Rick answered as he came into the room. 'Someone came to the tower, and she has to deal with them, and she ordered her men to bring me back but I'm not sure how long that will take or what she'll do when they're done.'

'All right. We should probably leave here for now, then—it wouldn't do to have the guards discover us sitting in the cell, unresponsive.' Ardeth stood, and replaced the book he had been studying back onto the shelf. After a moment's concentration, Richard was holding two identical books. Taking one of them, Ardeth shelved it. 'You can keep that one, Richard. Follow the link back to your mind, make certain your defenses are still strong, then come out of your meditation.'

Richard nodded and rose to his feet. 'Thanks, I appreciate your help.' Then he turned and walked out the door following the trail quickly back to his own mind, securing the boundary in place and sealing it. Suddenly the room came back in a rush and he shook his head at how odd this new experience had been in contrast to his current predicament.

Ardeth was already back, and watching him carefully. "How do you feel? Any difficulties coming back?"

"No it just took me a second," Richard said as his eyes readjusted to the dark cell.

Suddenly the door was flung open and, as Richard had been, the guards tossed Rick into the moldy chamber, slamming the door shut behind them. Rick rose to his feet brushing himself off. "Thanks for the lift," he mumbled under his breath, trying to get the dirt out of his hair.

"Are you well, my brother?" Ardeth asked, snickering and standing to help Rick tame his hair.

But Rick pushed Ardeth's hand away. "No! I remember what happened the last time you pulled that stunt!" He gave Ardeth a wry smile. "I'm fine. Denna's a little irritable though. And her hair isn't doing any better."

"Well, let us hope that she is kept busy for a while, with this visitor, and can work out her irritation that way." Ardeth settled back down near Richard.

Rick nodded. He hoped so as well. He had purposefully avoided provoking the Mord'Sith, not wanting to add to the amount of anger that would be directed at her next victim, knowing that it most likely be Ardeth's turn next. Though the protection magic hadn't helped her mood any. He stretched his arms trying to work the stiffness out of them from having his weight hang on them for so long. "So, I see you have magic too," he guessed as he looked at Richard. It had surprised him earlier to see him in their room at the palace in Ardeth's mind, but he had been more focused on letting his brother know that he was coming and Denna might not be too far behind.

Richard nodded, smiling a little. "Ardeth surprised me when he told me I had magic. I'm looking forward to surprising Kahlan and Zed."

Rick laughed. "I'll bet. It's weird to discover when you have those abilities. It scared me half to death the first time I cast a spell."

"That was mostly because you cast the most powerful spell known to Med-jai to announce your magical abilities."

Rick chuckled. "Yeah that was unnerving, especially to learn that if I had done it at the wrong moment it could have vaporized our allies."

The younger boy shrugged. "But that didn't happen, and you are trained now. Well, mostly trained."

"Thank goodness," Rick sighed, a smile on his face.

Ardeth settled back against the stone wall, then made a face and leaned forward, gently itching a recent tattoo on his shoulder. "I cannot wait until the itch finally goes away from these newest ones."

Richard looked at the tattoos decorating Ardeth's body in fascination. "What are all those marks for?" he asked, not thinking to hide his curiousity.

"They are the story of my life." Ardeth told him, gloomily. "And if I live as long as expected, I will not have an inch of normal skin left."

Richard looked at them. The script that flowed over Ardeth's body was the same as it had been in the book he had given to him. He quietly began reading the tales of Ardeth's life for a moment, before realizing that this might feel awkward for the prince. He gave an apologetic glance before sitting back again "Sorry."

"It's fine. Everyone who sees these markings is always fascinated. Just be thankful you do not have this tradition here."

Richard grimaced. "Way ahead of you," he agreed nodding.

Rick chuckled at this.

Ardeth smiled, then purposely relaxed and leaned back. "I am going to rest a bit—warn me when she comes for me."

Rick nodded. As Ardeth leaned back, Rick moved slightly closer to him. Looking inward, he tried to examine his energy levels, praying that there would be enough to cast a protection spell for Ardeth. He growled softly when he could tell there wasn't. Stubbornly, he stretched his hand to hover over Ardeth's chest, desperately trying to cast the spell anyway.

Ardeth opened one eye, and glared at Rick. "If you go into shock from magical exhaustion, how will you be any help to me?"

Rick sighed. "I have to do something," he said quietly. "I can't let you just go in there and not do something to try and help. Look me in the eyes and tell me you wouldn't try the same for me."

Sighing, Ardeth shook his head. "You know I can't lie to you. But instead of the protection spell, why don't you save your strength for the healing spells? They take much less energy because of our bond."

Rick let his breath out in slight frustration. He knew Ardeth was right. He loathed having to wait until his brother was already in pain to help him. But his suggestion would be more effective and had a greater chance of succeeding. At length, he nodded, sitting back.

Ardeth gripped Rick's arm in silent comfort before relaxing again and trying to doze off. Richard watched the exchange silently, trying to think of some way that he could help.

Rick scooted closer to his brother, wanting to give him what support he could with his presence.

It was dark when Denna finally came for Ardeth. Her hair was once again perfect, and there was no trace of her earlier frustration. Just behind her stood another Mord'Sith, this one watching everything with predatory eyes.

Rick stiffened slightly. 'Ardeth, she's here,' he called to his brother through their bond.

The boy stirred, and straightened, looking up at Denna through strands of his black hair. The Mord'Sith stared down at him, then turned on her heel. "Bring him," she ordered to the guards, marching away.

Rick bit his lip, knowing that if he tried to stop the guards it would only be worse for his brother. It took every ounce of control not to tackle the men as they advanced on his brother. He grasped Ardeth's arm. 'I am here for you,' he said quietly.

Ardeth grasped Rick's arm back, and nodded. 'Thank you, my brother. Keep Richard occupied while I am gone—he is starting to have flashbacks again.'

Rick nodded solemnly, watching as the D'harans dragged the prince out of the room. When the door closed behind them, Rick slammed his fists against it in frustration and helplessness. He leaned his forehead against the rough wood taking a second to try and calm himself before, turning and walking over to Richard to see if he was okay.

Richard was watching him silently, his eyes half-glazed as he fought to keep the flashbacks from his own torture under control.

Rick rested a hand on his shoulder trying to send some calming energy through him. "Richard," he quietly called his name,

The other man jerked in surprise, then focused on Rick. His eyes darted around the cell for a moment before he shivered and wrapped his arms around his knees. "This place brings back some bad memories."

Rick looked at him sympathetically as he sat on the rock next to him. "I'm sorry. I know how you feel. Ardeth and I have been in similar positions a few times before." Inwardly, he knew "few" was an understatement of gargantuan proportions.

At that, Richard frowned. "But you two can't be that old."

Rick laughed deeply at that. "Yeah I know, but that hasn't seemed to stop the many people we meet up with or come after us." He looked over at Richard. "Like you, we have many enemies who would do anything to awaken ancient evils either because they believe they'll be rewarded or that they can control the power they want to unleash."

"Huh. Well, I've got a lot to learn about being a Seeker. I kinda destroyed my textbook." Richard said, with a smile.

Rick chuckled. "At least you got a textbook. I got textbooks, but after I started the crash course." Rick smiled fondly thinking back to when he first met his brother. "We met in a city, and I helped him to hide from some people hunting him. Next thing you know, we were kidnapped and carted away. Ever since that day, it seems like we've always been somebody's target. But we always manage to get out alive somehow." Rick looked over at Richard. "Our dad says that we have a destiny to fulfill. Like you." He smiled. "This will be only a memory someday, ‘cause I know you're strong enough to make it through this. Like my brother is."

"Thank you, Rick." Richard said, with a smile. He shivered again, and started rubbing his arms. "It is cold in here!"

Rick nodded in agreement. "Man, it's times like this when I really miss the desert." Then he thought of something. Closing his eyes he focused on the warmth of the sun spilling onto the dunes, drawing upon that image as best he could. Then muttering a few words in Arabic, the heat in his mind distilled into the room. Not much but enough to make the room a bit more livable.

Richard's eyes widened. "Will I be able to do that?"

"You should be able to," Rick answered. "It's one of the more basic spells, doesn't take up as much energy. I would start a fire but that would create two problems. The smoke would have nowhere to vent and fill the room, and then the guards would know that we have magic. Right now that's the only advantage we have."

The Seeker nodded. "I can't wait until I learn some of this stuff! It will make camping all the time much nicer."

Rick smiled. "It definitely helps us when we're in the middle of the desert and the sun goes down." His memories were warm and pleasant as he thought about the many nights around campfires with Ardeth, their father, Gen, Amir, and occasionally Dr. Bey when he came in to report. Rick pushed these memories through to his brother hoping they would give him something pleasant to focus on.

Ardeth had closed off most of the bond, leaving enough for Rick to tell that he was still alive, but not letting anything unpleasant leak through.

Rick cursed softly as he felt this. 'Don't do this; don't shut me out!' he begged silently.

"What's wrong?" Richard asked, putting a hand on Rick's shoulder as he felt the younger man's distress.

"He's cut me off from himself. He doesn't want me to know or feel what she's doing to him," he whispered, his eyes watering. "How am I supposed to heal you if I don't know when your hurt!" he called out in frustration.

"And there's no way you can get past his block?" Richard moved closer to Rick, hoping to reassure the boy.

"No," Rick breathed, "not that I've been able to find." He closed his eyes and began trying to push through to Ardeth, fighting the defenses his brother had established. The walls Ardeth had erected around his mind were strong, but Rick bent every ounce of energy and concentration to the task.

After several minutes of Rick's efforts, Ardeth's blocks on their bond cracked and then shattered. Rick was nearly overwhelmed with the pain Ardeth was trying to hide from him since Rick was pushing into Ardeth's mind.

Rick bit down a cry, not having expected to break through, but he immediately started to pour healing through their bond and trying to draw away as much of the pain as he could. He gave as much strength as he could to his brother. 'Ardeth! I'm here!'

There was a flash of surprise that cut through the roiling waves of emotions filling Ardeth's mind. 'Rick? How did you get through my walls?' Ardeth's voice wasn't as strong as normal.

'Not very easily,' Rick answered quickly, more concerned about the weariness in his brother's voice. 'What has she done to you? How badly are you hurt?' he asked, feeding encouragement and comfort through their bond, determined to help Ardeth whether he wanted him to or not.

'She was . . . most pleased to discover that she could touch me. The pain from the Agiel is nothing like I have felt before, and it is difficult to resist it. It does not seem to cause much serious injury, though.'

Rick nodded grimly, remembering how it felt for those brief few moments in battle. He swallowed hard and reached out to Ardeth, easing the pain as best he could. 'I'm here for you. Focus on me. Can I use my magic through you if I slip into your mind?'

'No, if you came into my mind you would only be able to use mine, and my levels are very low.' Another wave of pain washed over them. 'Rick, please, I don't want you to go through this!'

'I’m not abandoning you!' Rick declared. 'You cast that spell to keep me from feeling pain, and I'm not letting you go through this by yourself!'

Ardeth shuddered as even more pain swept through him—he was rapidly approaching his limits. 'Rick, I am not going to be able to hold on much longer. I am going into my safe house—when I do, please, shut the bond until I am back with you!'

'No I can't leave you like that!' Rick shook his head adamantly.

'If I go into my safe house, Rick, I will not be aware of what is happening! The only way for me to come out of it again is for you to wake me up when she is done with me. And for you to wake me up and heal me, you need the energy.'

Rick closed his eyes briefly, and nodded. He sent as much comfort as he could through their bond.

Then, Ardeth's presence disappeared into a room, locking out all of the pain, anger, and fear.

Rick stepped back into the cell, and gazed down at the floor in sorrow and anger, his eyes stinging with unshed tears. His breath was coming in gasps from the pain he had felt roiling off of his brother. "I'm sorry, my brother," he whispered.

Richard was holding onto his arms. "What happened? Are you all right?"

Rick shook his head. "I should never have let him cast that spell on me," he said between pants. "As long as I've known him, he’s never been in that much pain . . . not even when Nu'man had him. . ." He hung his head. "And there's nothing I can do to stop it."

The seeker frowned at him. "You mean that you can feel the pain that Ardeth is going through right now? How is he still conscious?"

"He has strength beyond anything I have seen," Rick answered quietly. "But I pray he won't be conscious for long. Even in his refuge, she's still going to keep torturing him."

"In his refuge? What do you mean?" Richard finally let go of Rick's arms and moved back.

"Our bond has a place we can retreat to escape the pain, our room, the place in his mind Ardeth took you earlier." His breathing was becoming steadier but his eyes were still fixed on the floor. "What have I done?"

"I can understand a refuge, I had one myself when Denna had me here last. But why are you upset? Isn't it good that he's in his refuge?"

"Yes, it is," Rick replied quietly, raising red eyes to look at the Seeker, gripping his arms, "but the mere fact that he has to retreat to it. . . Ardeth's strong, and as long as I've known him, he's only fled our refuge after the torture is over to recover. For him to have to go because the pain is overwhelming him . . ." Rick shuddered.

Richard shook his head. "Well, she should be done with him soon—she normally trains only in short sessions, because it's too much for anyone to handle."

O'Connell prayed that he was right. He tried to conserve his strength so he would have as much as possible when they brought Ardeth back to the cell, but his thoughts kept wandering back to his brother.

Several minutes later, the door to the cell crashed open and Ardeth was flung in. The boy looked to be unconscious—he didn't stir when he hit the ground.


	5. Chapter 5

Rick ran over to Ardeth and gently picked him of the floor, trying not to cause him any more pain. Positioning himself between his brother and the guards, he immediately began to cast any and every healing spell he could think of. He held him close, desperately wanting to know if he was okay, but he could not bring himself to force the prince to surface to painful consciousness until the spells had wrought their effects.

Richard glared at the guards until they left, closing the door behind them. Then, the Seeker moved to sit next to Rick. "How is he?"

"Not good," Rick said softly. "His pulse is erratic and his breathing is very shallow." He leaned over his brother protectively even though there was now no one in the cell to protect him from, but the reaction was instinctive. The boy took a deep breath, closed his eyes and began to murmur more spells in Arabic, on the off-hand chance that he had forgotten any, trying to lend as much strength to Ardeth as he had.

In minutes, Ardeth looked much better—the injuries from the agiel were now fresh scars, and his body had relaxed a great deal.

Rick was relieved some to see the visible improvement in Ardeth’s condition, and he slumped slightly from exhaustion from trying to help his brother. Weariness he hadn’t even realized was there was starting to settle over him. Taking in a few deep breaths, he straightened again, fighting the fatigue, determined to be strong for his twin. He looked down at him, pulling strands of Ardeth’s matted black hair away from his face. Not knowing what else he could do for his brother right now, he slowly began to sing a song that he had often heard their father sing as he had knelt by their bedsides. It was a blessing in Arabic and had been a favorite lullaby of Hadiya, Ardeth’s mother. When she had died, the king had sung it for Ardeth in his mother’s place at times, usually when he had had nightmares or been unable to sleep and it had always had a soothing effect on him. He didn’t feel he really did the song justice, and singing couldn’t have been said to be one of Rick O’Connell’s strong suits, but he kept going anyways.

When Rick finished the song, he found Ardeth’s eyes were open, and the younger boy was smiling at him. “Thank you, my brother,” Ardeth was unable to speak louder than a whisper, but he grasped Rick’s wrist with his own lightly trembling hand.

Rick grasped his brother's hand back, relieved beyond measure to see his brother awake and smiling. He nodded, unable to speak for a moment. "Do you hurt as much as before?" was all he could find to say at length.

"No, not as bad. You didn't drain yourself healing me, did you?" Ardeth lifted his free hand and brushed his fingers over the new scars on his sides from the agiel.

Rick released the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "No, I didn't, though I be ready for a nap later," he chuckled hollowly.

Taking in a deep breath, Ardeth sat up, wincing a little as strained muscles protested the movement. He scooted back against the wall, then beckoned Rick over. "Come and sleep, my brother."

Rick grimaced and grabbed Ardeth's arm support him as he moved, then held him still against the wall with a firm hand once he had settled. "I will if you promise not to strain yourself. You're the one who really needs the rest," Rick said locking eyes with his brother.

The younger boy shrugged one shoulder. "I will meditate for a while, if you sleep—I will not be able to sleep for a while."

Rick nodded moving to sit beside his brother. 'And Ardeth,' he switched to their bond catching his brother's gaze with his, 'don't ever do that to me again.'

'I cannot promise that, Rick.' Ardeth said, dropping his own gaze. 'I will always do all I can to protect you.'

'You can't protect me forever, any more than I could protect you,' Rick said looking sadly at his brother. 'But we can help each other through times like that. But not if you're shutting me out. You need all your strength to fight her, not me.'

After a moment, Ardeth dipped his head. 'Very well, Rick. Actually, at this point, I doubt I have the strength to shut you out.'

Rick squeezed Ardeth's shoulder, taking a deep breath as he leaned his head back against the wall, closing his eyes tightly to stamp back the tears that had been threatening to fall for a while now. 'No matter what happens, I know we will always try to protect each other. It's our instinct,' he admitted, wanting Ardeth to know that he appreciated the sacrifice he had made for him.

Ardeth found Rick's wrist and squeezed it lightly. 'Go to sleep, Rick. Things will look better in the morning.'

Rick nodded, finally giving in to the exhaustion which lay just at the edge of his perception. 'Wake me up if anything happens,' he breathed as the darkness took him.

Once Rick was asleep, Ardeth gently tugged the older boy over so that Rick was leaning against him. With a soft sigh, Ardeth scrubbed a hand over his face, trying to refocus. He looked over at Richard. "Are you doing all right?"

"I'm fine," Richard said, nodding. "Are you going to be alright?" he asked, knowing what Denna's torture was like, and concerned for the prince.

Ardeth shrugged. "I will probably need to visit the mind-healers again once I get home, but I will be fine."

Richard nodded in understanding. "It took a long time for me to get over my first time here. It seemed endless. But the Mord'Sith are not as invulnerable as they make you think," the Seeker said, his eyes lost in a memory of the last time he had seen Denna. She had said something that still puzzled him greatly. Even now he was not sure what to make of it.

"What do you mean?" Ardeth asked, rubbing his sore shoulder muscles as best as he could.

"The last time we encountered Denna, she was supposed to bring the third Box of Orden to Darken Rahl. With all three boxes the person who held them would enslave the mind of every living being, making him invincible. But we managed to stop her and to steal the other two boxes back from Rahl with her help. She thought she could trick us, but we managed to turn it on her. Before we left, she begged me to kill her, rather than let her fall into Rahl's hands after that." Richard paused in disbelief. "I could see the fear in her eyes. She was terrified." He shook his head. "I didn't think that was possible. They seemed so impervious to pain, or fear, or guilt."

"They are still just human. She may not feel pain physically, but from what I can tell, her mind has been shredded so that she truly believes what she has been taught. That is a horrible thing to do to any person."

Richard nodded in agreement, though the idea still blew his mind. "Oh they feel pain. I don't know how she managed to get back in Rahl's good graces. As much as I hated what she did to me, I shudder to think what he has done to her." Richard moved over to the rocks near the water that leaked into the cell. Scraping some of the moss away from the rocks, he crushed it between his palms, then moving over to Ardeth's side, he rubbed some over the boy's shoulders to help remove the ache there. "It's a good thing the guards don't know about the healing properties of this moss. We'll just have to make sure you brush it away when they come in."

"Thank you." Ardeth glanced at Rick to make certain that he was still sleeping. "We should try to break through the controls on Denna, and free her mind. No one should be forced to live as a slave."

"It won't be easy, but it's possible," Richard said slowly, his last encounter with the Mord’Sith seeming to confirm this. Then he chuckled slightly. "If Zed and Kahlan heard us talking like this, they'd say we were crazy."

The young Med-jai grinned. "I try to never give up on people. From our various adventures, I have broken through the barriers of several red guards and helped them become free."

Richard smiled. He had felt the same way in several instances along his quest. "I don't know how long something like this might take, but it's not going to happen overnight," he warned, not wanting Ardeth to suffer under Denna's hand any longer than he had to. "If we see an opportunity to escape before then we need to take it, even if we don't succeed in saving her. They will not give us another chance."

"Of course—if there is an opportunity, we must certainly take the chance to escape. But it may be difficult. There was a second Mord'Sith watching as Denna tortured me."

"The one we saw at the door? Do you know why she's here, what she wants?"

Ardeth shook his head. "No, I do not. She did not speak at all, the entire time I was out there."

Richard looked down, wondering who she was. "I didn't see her the last time I was here. It's possible that with her last failure, Rahl sent this one to keep an eye on Denna for him," he said quietly. "We will have to see what happens." The Seeker turned to Ardeth. "Get some rest. We're all going to need it before this is over. I'll keep watch tonight."

"Very well. Thank you, Richard." Ardeth closed his eyes and went into a light meditation.

Richard smiled slightly and turned his eyes to the door, carefully using his tracker's ears to listen for footsteps or conversations in the hall beyond. He sat between the boys and the entrance to the cell so that they would have time to fully come out of their sleep if they were visited again tonight.

The night passed by without any more visits from the Mord'Sith. Ardeth woke up several times from his meditation, fighting down panic, but kept his reactions quiet enough that he didn't wake Rick.

Richard turned to Ardeth to make sure he was alright, and saw the familiar look in his eyes. He placed a hand on Ardeth's arm to draw him away from the horrible memories.

The boy shuddered, then his eyes focused. "My apologies." He said, rubbing a hand over his face.

Richard looked at Ardeth, surprised. "You have nothing to apologize for," he said. "You okay?"

"In time, I will be fine. I am just having difficult containing the memories to lock them away for now."

"Lock them away?" the Seeker asked puzzled. "You can do that?"

Ardeth shrugged. "I can, yes. It is not the best thing to do—it is best to just deal with the memories, but since we are still in a hostile environment, I thought it would be wise to repress the flashbacks for now."

Richard agreed. "If I had some kindan seeds I could help, but I don't think they'd lend me any," he said shaking his head. "Are there any spells that can help?"

"Not at this point—those ones are all very advanced." Ardeth held still when Rick stirred a little, and rested his hand on Rick's forehead, sending him into a deeper sleep.

Rick settled down under his brother’s touch. Richard noticed this and tilted his head curiously.

“Because of our many experiences, we often go through nightmares.” Ardeth said, with a small sigh. “Using simple spells and love, we are able to ward each other’s dreams and prevent nightmares.”

Richard smiled. "Then it's a really good thing that you two have that connection." The Seeker looked down at the floor as he thought briefly about his brother. "You are both very close. I wish I had been that close with Michael."

Ardeth raised an eyebrow. "I am assuming this Michael is your brother? Why were you not close?"

"He and I..." Richard shook his head trying to find a way to put it into words, "…didn't see eye to eye on a lot of things. He was the First Councilor of our village and responsible for their safety. When Kahlan came to find me, when they told me I was a Seeker, Feyne, the D'haran captain that followed her through, convinced Michael that she was a witch who had me under her powers. When Feyne murdered our father, Michael thought that Kahlan had used her magic to make me kill him." He sighed deeply. "He trusted the D'harans and it took a long while to get him to see the truth about them. But when he did and stood to fight with us..." Richard took a deep breath, "he died in battle, trying to protect me."

"I am sorry. That is something that should never have happened to your family." Ardeth reached out and grabbed Richard's wrist, squeezing it in sympathy.

"Thanks," Richard murmured nodding, eyes still fixed on the floor. "We've all lost a lot to Rahl's forces, but the thing that keeps us going to ensure that our families and loved ones haven't died for nothing," he spoke quietly.

"That is the best reason of all to fight. If you fight for anything less than love, then you will certainly fail," the young prince said, glancing at Rick to make certain the older boy was still sleeping.

Rick still lay sound asleep against his brother. Richard followed Ardeth's gaze. "He was very worried about you."

Ardeth sighed. "I know. But I would have preferred that he remained worried, and experienced none of the pain of the agiel. That weapon is like nothing I have ever known."

Richard nodded in understanding, feeling the same way. "Maybe we can escape before any of us has to feel that thing ever again."

"We will most certainly do our best to escape." Ardeth agreed, with a smirk. "They are going to discover just how difficult it is to keep three Seekers captive."

Richard smiled, patting Ardeth gently on his arm, not wanting to aggravate the boy's muscles that he knew must still be aching. "Are you able to go back to sleep?" he asked carefully, knowing the impact that lingering nightmares could hold on you.

The boy shook his head. "I will not sleep again this night. You should get some rest—I will keep watch for now."

Richard looked at Ardeth sympathetically and nodded. "Let me know if you need me," he said as he started to lie down on the floor.

"I will." Ardeth drifted into a light meditation, all his senses alert, but letting his body rest as much as possible.

~

Night drifted away slowly. Though they could never tell in that dark, windowless cell, the stars passed overhead in the sky as Kahlan and Zed were desperately searching the forest for their lost companions.

The confessor and the wizard bent to examine the tracks left behind in the last place they had know Richard was going to be. Kahlan hung her head in frustration. "How can we possibly find an expert tracker like Richard when we don't have Richard here to help us? I knew I shouldn't have let them go by themselves."

"Richard may be an excellent tracker, but I don't think the boys have very much experience in the forests. Look over there, Kahlan." Zed told her, pointing to a few leaves that had blown off of a footprint.

Kahlan nodded holding the torch in her hand aloft so they could trace the small trail Zed had managed to find. Carefully brushing more leaves away, they found more obscured footprints. Progress was slow in the dark, but eventually they managed to follow the tracks to a small glen. They were surprised to find that apparently Richard's efforts at this point to hide their trail had halted altogether and as the sky grew slightly brighter with the approaching dawn they were able to see why. Corpses of D’haran troops littered the ground. But what disturbed them more were the impressions of where other bodies had fallen, but were no longer there. Three were the right size for the seekers, but there were about a dozen more.

A surprised gasp from Zed caught Kahlan's attention. "There were several Mord'sith here."

Kahlan's eyes went wide with fear and dark understanding. "They must have captured Richard and the boys." Then Kahlan shook her head. "That doesn't make sense. Of course they would go after Richard but why would they have taken the boys as well?"

"I do not know, but we must try to rescue them as fast as possible." Zed held up a single blond hair he had found in the bushes. "Denna."

Kahlan closed her eyes and swallowed hard. She knew the history between this particular Mord'Sith and the Seeker. Not only had Denna captured and tortured Richard before, even almost getting Richard to kill Kahlan, but this woman had murdered Richard's mother right in front of him. "How are we going to rescue Richard this time, let alone Ardeth and Rick? I won't be let into the fortress like I was last time."

Zed shook his head slowly. "I do not know. But we have to get there and try to think up something. Maybe we will be fortunate enough to meet them on their way out."

Kahlan nodded. "We need to move fast," she said as she extinguished the torch and arranged the sack on her back for quick and easy travel. "Who knows what those creatures have done to them in the time that we've already lost."

"We must hope that the Mord'Sith underestimate the Seekers—that is our best chance in all of this."

Kahlan and Zed moved swiftly through the forest, and the confessor was glad for the dim morning light to mask the tears that streamed down her face. As they ran, she saw neither Zed, nor the brush that she was instinctively dodging without though. The only images she saw were those of Richard brutally beaten when she had found him the last time he had been captured by Denna. He had looked at her as if he didn't even know her. And the fear and pain she had seen in his eyes as he pleaded for her to confess him rather than to let him become Denna's slave. With a great effort, she pushed these images aside, praying that it would not be what she found when they got to Richard this time.

~

As best as Ardeth could tell, it was early morning when he heard footsteps approaching their cell. "Rick, Richard," he said, quietly. "We are about to have visitors."

Richard and Rick sat up in the darkness, both waiting for their eyes to adjust to the lack of light. As the cell door opened, an imposing shadow filled the doorway and Rick hovered protectively in front of his brother.

There was a quiet gasp from the visitor, and the man glanced over his shoulder to ensure that the guards were out of hearing distance. Then, he inched forward and put bowls of food and water onto the floor.

Richard eyed the man cautiously as he inched forward and took the rations, handing them to the boys first. Then he took his own bowls. "Thank you," he said to the stranger before beginning to drink the water.

"Carver Dunn?" The man asked, again glancing over his shoulder. "No, that wouldn't be your name, Seeker."

Richard looked back up at the guard still too overpowered by the light behind him to see his face. But he didn't need to see his face to know who he was. His eyes widened in surprise at the familiar voice. "Captain Zane," he breathed. While trying to stop the D'haran onslaught against villages harboring the Seeker and his sympathizers, Richard had assumed the identity of a D'haran archer and infiltrated a garrison commanded by the man before him. In his time there he had gotten to know him and his family and learned that they were good people, who loyalties were just misplaced. In the end, they had fought, and though, Richard had defeated him, he let the Captain go. And now here they were again, face to face, though their positions were reversed.

The man stepped a little to the side so that his back wasn't completely to the light. "How did you end up here, Seeker? And why are there two boys here?"

"We were caught by the Mord'Sith. They sent a dozen or so after us," he answered. Realizing that he had never given the D'haran captain his real name, he shook his head smiling wryly. "My name is Richard Cypher. This is Rick and Ardeth. They were with me when Denna and her forces found us." Richard conveniently left out the part about them also being seekers. In truth he had been puzzling since they were captured about why they had been taken and not killed by the Mord'Sith. There was no way that Denna could have known that if Richard should fall that Ardeth or Rick could take up the Sword of Truth and fulfill the prophesy in his place. He trusted Zane to a point, but he wasn't sure if he could trust him that far so he kept the boys' identities to himself.

"Well, Richard Cypher, I certainly didn't expect to see you here." Captain Zane shook his head slightly. "You certainly get around, don't you?"

Richard scoffed. "Well, I this stop wasn't exactly planned." he paused looking at Zane. "How is your family? Is Tanner doing alright?" he asked sincerely.

The captain nodded, after a moment. "Yes, Tanner is much better now—actually, he keeps on asking after you. The other children do also."

Richard smiled and then cocked his head slightly. "Do they know who I really am?" he asked, surprised that they would not curse his name once they had found out that he had tricked Zane and was actually fighting Rahl and the D'harans.

Zane hesitated, then nodded. "Yes, they do know. My wife thinks that since you helped Tanner and didn't kill me, you can't be all that bad."

Richard was pleased to hear that, but his expression didn't change as he spoke. "And what do you think?"

"I do not know yet Dun—Cypher." The man admitted, after another glance over his shoulder. He moved again so that he was standing in the doorframe. "But I do not like what has been happening, and I do not like being reassigned here, so far from my family."

Richard nodded. The man wasn't ready to cross that line but this was a start. Zane was close; he could feel it. "I'm sorry about that. I know how much they mean to you. I'm glad at least that your family doesn't have to live that close to the Mord'Sith. Especially your daughters," he said quietly nodding. He wouldn't wish that fate on any family let alone Zane's. "But these* boys here weren't so lucky," he said cautiously testing the water. He let the sentence hang in the air, watching to see how Zane would react to it.

Zane considered the statement, glancing at the two boys. Both of them looked back at him, faces calm, but obviously strained from what they had already been through. After a moment, the man nodded. "I have to go now, but I will do what I can."

"Thank you," Richard said, the gratitude he felt for Zane's effort evident on his face. He made certain to back away from Zane so that it would look to the guards as though he feared him. He didn't want them to have any cause to suspect the captain.

"I'll be back when I can." The man promised, and turned away, slamming the cell door behind himself.

Richard breathed deeply as the cell darkened and the footsteps receded down the hall. But when he turned to the boys his face was hopeful. "We might just have a chance," he told them in a low tone.

"You know that man?" Ardeth asked, scooting forward to take one of the bowls of water.

"I managed to infiltrate a camp under his command and gain his trust to a degree when Kahlan and I helped to stop the rebels from killing everyone in the village where his family lived," Richard answered nodding. "He's a good man. I'm hoping he'll see the light and help us."

Rick had been watching the exchange and nodded slowly. "Can you trust him?"

Richard paused only a second, before nodding. "Yes. He just needs the chance to choose what's right."

"Well, he will certainly have that opportunity now." Ardeth handed Richard a bowl of water, and Rick the last bowl. "Apparently we are more valuable to them alive, for now, so they will feed us."

Rick began to eat and drink quickly. He was starved after all that had gone on the past day. They all were. He looked up at his brother. "Did you sleep at all last night?" he asked, knowing that, with Ardeth's tendency to guard his slumber, he probably wouldn't know it if he hadn't.

Ardeth shrugged. "I meditated. I am having difficulty containing the memories."

Rick nodded, having thought that might happen. He placed his hand over Ardeth's forehead like Bey had done to him the night before, strengthening their bond and helping his brother to push the memories into the shell he had built for them.

"Thank you, my brother," Ardeth whispered, once the memories were locked up.

Rick squeezed his brother's shoulder smiling at him. "Any time." Finishing his bowl, Rick set them aside and crossed his legs. "Okay, so we might have an ally on the inside who can give us some aid and we know that the door isn't protected against magic. Hopefully with the patrol times you gave us we'll be able to escape that way."

"How high is his rank in this tower, and what does that mean? Would he be on a patrol and be able to look the other direction if we find an opportunity and take it?"

"I'm not certain. He was captain at the garrison and the D’harans trusted him alone with their most powerful weapon. He must have been reassigned, but if they trust him with giving us food, I don't think they'd suspect him. Patrols though would usually be beneath a captain unless he was on a special task force or a special assignment. We can ask him when he gets back."

After a moment, Ardeth nodded. "Both of you, come here, let me check the levels of the protection spell."

Richard and Rick scooted closer. Rick looked up at his brother, seeing the familiar look that he'd come to recognized in Ardeth's face when he was assessing something with magic. "Well," he asked, "how much longer do we have?"

"Longer than I expected, actually." Ardeth told him, with a relieved smile. "It will last until sunset, I believe."

Rick's expression was far from the relief that his brother's held. "She's not going to wait until sunset to come back," he murmured. Richard looked just as uncomfortable at leaving Ardeth vulnerable for so long as to endure another possible session or more at Denna's mercy.

"Yes, but at least this time I know what to expect. And though she tried, she couldn't even get near my refuge."

Rick shook his head. "I don't want her to have another shot at it. They can't hurt me, and I'm not letting them touch you," he said, determined.

"Then what? We try to escape right now?" Ardeth asked, helplessly rubbing an agitated hand through his hair. "We do not have many options available here, Rick."

Rick sighed helplessly, hanging his head. He knew they couldn't escape now. They were not ready with what little information they had. He looked at Ardeth. He couldn't stand by this time but they could not risk losing their escape opportunity. He was desperately wracking his brain, looking for a solution. There had to be another option.

The young Med-jai prince sighed. "We will keep thinking about it. But for now, we will take this opportunity to work on Richard's magical training."

O'Connell nodded at length, though his thoughts were still racing about the subject even as he turned towards Richard.

Ardeth picked up the instruction of magic, keeping part of his attention on the door so that they would have some warning when the guards came again. He was determined to get Richard as fluent in magic as possible by the time they found their way back home.

A few hours passed and Richard was making some impressive progress. It took him a while to learn the basic skills because the concept of using magic was so new to him, but Ardeth was patient and an excellent tutor, and soon the Seeker was picking up the lessons with more and more ease.

While Ardeth taught Richard, Rick held a silencing spell over the cell, so that the guards would not hear the effects of the magic being used in the room, but still allowed occasional sounds like their voices to escape the barrier. He didn’t want the guards to think something was up, because they were being too quiet.

It was late morning when Ardeth looked up. “Someone is coming. Rick, you better drop the silencing spell now.” The younger boy hastily made certain there was no evidence of their magical practice session before the door opened.

Rick released the spell, and not a moment too soon. Denna stood in the door frame, an unpleasant smile on her face as she looked at Ardeth. Rick moved in front of his brother subtly, glaring at the Mord'Sith as she stepped into the room.


	6. Chapter 6

Lifting his chin, Ardeth defiantly met Denna's gaze. He rested a hand on Rick's shoulder, silently urging his brother to be careful.

Rick didn't make any aggressive moves, but neither did he back down. Richard was also watching the woman's every move.

Denna smirked at their futile efforts. "Richard, you should have told them how useless it is to resist a Mord'Sith. I would have thought that was a lesson that I taught you well the last time you were here," she purred, stepping forward and caressing his face.

Richard jerked away from her. Ardeth moved a little so that he and Rick were closer to Richard. Taking a deep breath, Ardeth stepped forward a little. Yesterday, Denna had been unable to get any answers from him. "You do not know my people, Mord'Sith. You should know how useless it is to attempt to break one of us."

Denna's eyes turned slowly to settle on the Med-jai, quirking an eyebrow. "Many have said that, even the Seeker here. And by the time I was finished with him he was kneeling at my feet like a dog. You will be no different. Even if you do not bend to my instruction, Lord Rahl can be most persuasive. He enjoys breaking stubborn prisoners like you."

Ardeth's eyes hardened. "I will not be broken. This I swear by my name, Ardeth Bey of the Med-jai."

Denna smiled at Ardeth in amusement, grasping his chin in her hand. "I suppose you have not been able to retain the instruction I gave you yesterday. I'm going to have to do something about that," she whispered sweetly, but loud enough so that Rick and Richard could hear her words.

Rick pushed in front of her breaking her hold on Ardeth and standing between them, his eyes hard as flint as he locked eyes with her.

The Med-jai prince's shoulders were tense, but his face was carefully expressionless. He would do his best to give Denna nothing that would help her case in the slightest.

The Mord'Sith met Rick's glare with her own unflinching gaze. "I may not be able to touch you for now," Denna said, "but whatever protection the wizard cast on you will not last forever. And until it does, rest assured that for any trouble you give me, your friend will garner the punishment." She smiled wickedly. "After seeing how he was returned to you yesterday, you can comprehend some idea of what I mean by punishment."

Rick shuddered inwardly. He never wanted his brother to go through that again, but he saw in her eyes that she could make good on her threat. But how could he just let them take him? Swallowing hard, Rick forced himself to step aside

Ardeth didn't resist as Denna stepped forward and attached a chain to the metal collar around his neck, but he didn't move to make her task any easier. Instead, he focused on sending calm to Rick.

It took all of Rick's control, even with Ardeth's gentle warnings, not to rip the chain out of her hand and see how she'd like to be led around on a leash. He couldn't keep himself from flinching as she yanked the collar around Ardeth's neck roughly for his resistance. If he didn't walk out, then he was going to be dragged out. And all the other two could do was watch with mounting dread.

Resisting the urge to snatch the chain out of Denna's hands and use it to strangle her, Ardeth followed after her rather than be dragged. He wanted to keep his dignity somewhat intact.

Rick fell to his knees as the door shut behind his brother, and he murmured a prayer for Ardeth, uncertain if he could ever forgive himself for the decision he made to stand back and let him go with that witch.

Denna led Ardeth up the winding staircase to the tower she had tortured him in before. "I had so hoped that you had garnered a meaningful lesson after all you forced me to put you through last time," she said as she turned to him once they reached the pinnacle chamber. She leaned in close to Ardeth's face as if to whisper a secret into his ear. "But don't worry, I'm a very patient woman, and I will personally see to your training for as long as it takes."

The boy rolled his eyes. "And how long do you have to 'train' me before this Darken Rahl gets impatient? A week? A month, even?" Ardeth shook his head. "You will need far longer than that to accomplish anything."

Denna's eyes narrowed at the boys' defiant words. She gave a curt nod to the guards that had escorted them up there, and they moved to secure Ardeth once more in the manacle over the small pit. The Mord'Sith continued to talk to the prince as he was being bound. "Your previous training has made you strong yes, but nothing will save you from Lord Rahl's wrath. He will not be as gentle with you when he arrives. Or your friends." She watched his eyes carefully as she spoke. "If you do not wish such agony to befall them and yourself you would do well to cooperate with me."

"Lies and twisted truths are your favorite weapons, are they not? By using them, along with pain to reinforce those ideas, you have broken many people. That is how you were broken." Ardeth's sharp eyes never left Denna's as he was manhandled into position. His expression didn't change as his full weight came to rest on his already strained shoulders.

A fire of anger flamed behind Denna's eyes, but there was the faintest trace of something else: surprise that he had been able to see through her like that. But she recovered quickly, backhanding him viciously. "What a clever little boy," she purred as she leaned in uncomfortably close to Ardeth. "But then you are in the unique position to see that what I speak to you is true. I can personally assure you of the effectiveness of Lord Rahl's training. But if you work with me, I might be able to spare you and the others some pain. I am much more forgiving than my master." She paused and gave Ardeth a small smile. "I am the only ally you have in this place."

"Neither you nor Darken Rahl will succeed." Ardeth told her, relaxing as best as he could to absorb the blows better.

Denna shook her head just slightly then jammed the agiel into Ardeth's side. "We shall see about that," she mused pleasantly.

The boy gasped a little, but otherwise didn't react, and immediately slid into meditation. He refused to show any weaknesses to Denna.

“You may fight it now, but you will not be able to retain your screams for long,” she said pulling the agiel away and then jamming into a wound from his training the day before and twisting the rod. “Face it, boy. You, the Seeker, and your friend belong to me now. And by the time we finish with you, you will be pleading me for the honor to swear your allegiance to Lord Rahl.”

“Never.” Ardeth promised, refusing to back down from the challenge and the pain accompanying it. “You cannot win, Mord’Sith. And your lord, this Darken Rahl, he will be defeated and destroyed as he has not fulfilled his obligations to and for the people.”

Denna moved the agiel methodically around Ardeth's body, taking advantage of all weaker points she had discovered while working on Ardeth the day before. She would remove the agiel only for a moment before reapplying it, giving him only the faint hope of rest before another wave of fire assaulted his senses. Words were not working on him yet, she would have to wear him down.

The boy kept his eyes open, but otherwise retreated into his refuge. He did not have the strength to resist another full day of torture, and so he hid his mind away.

On the other side of their bond, Rick was feeding strength and healing through the bond in an effort to reduce the trauma to his brother's body when he resurfaced. After a short time, he came to the room in their bond, walking over to Ardeth and placing a hand on his shoulder.

'Rick?' Ardeth asked, surprised. 'You aren't wearing yourself out, are you?'

Rick chuckled slightly as he shook his head. 'How could I weary myself? This is the only thing I've had to do since we got caught.' He sat down next to Ardeth, smiling as he looked sideways at his twin. 'Don't worry about me. I hate knowing the pain you're going through but it makes me feel better that I can help you somehow, even though I'd much rather take that stick of hers and shove it down her throat."

At that, the younger boy snickered. 'That would be rather satisfying. But try to avoid lashing out at her—she did not choose this path, it was forced on her. Richard and I are trying to break down her defenses.'

Rick looked down at the floor, pondering Ardeth's words. Then his eyes widened in shock as he realized that Denna had probably started out just like them. "They put her through this too," he murmured distantly in realization. He shook his head trying to imagine what she must have been like before. He thought of Evy, Ardeth's cousins, and Anisah, and shuddered to think if they could become like her if they had been forced to endure what Denna had. He pushed that aside unwilling to think about that. But Ardeth was right. 'Well, I can't promise anything,' he said knowing full well that his temper still had tendency to get the best of him even though he was working on it, especially where the safety of his brother was concerned. 'But I will try," he said seriously.

'That is all I ask, my brother. From what I understand, the Mord'Sith are very young girls taken from their families and tortured like this. Even I would not be able to handle this torture when I was eight.'

Rick grimaced at Ardeth's admission. His brother was amazingly strong, a fact that continued to blow his mind, and he was exceedingly proud of Ardeth. To think of him let alone any eight year old child suffering under such brutal hands was intensely disturbing. He nodded. 'Are you doing alright?' he asked meeting his twin's eyes.

Ardeth nodded. 'I am not actively trying to deal with it this time, which is why I am in here. She thinks that she is breaking me, when all she is doing is playing with a shell. It will not be long until she tires of this.'

Rick nodded gravely but was glad to know that she was not trying to toy with Ardeth's mind. 'I'm sending healing to your body so that it won't be in shock by the time you return to it. If you need me for anything, you know I'm here for you,' he said, squeezing Ardeth's shoulder. 'I have to go for a while in case the guards find some reason to pay Richard and I a visit. But I'll be back as often as I can.'

'Thank you, my brother. I will see you soon.' Ardeth said, with a smile. 'Be safe.'

'You too,' Rick replied embracing Ardeth before leaving the room.

Ardeth slipped out of his refuge to check on Denna, surprising her a little when his eyes suddenly focused on her. He didn't say anything, but rolled his eyes like he found her efforts to break him amusing.

Seeing this, Denna snarled, infuriated that he was not weakening. Frustrated by his strength and fueled by the fear of her lack of progress, she started attacking his arms hoping that with how tightly his muscles were strained that she could garner some response from the boy. In the midst of prodding them with the agiel she paused, her expression changing from anger to curiosity.

Surprised at the sudden stop in the torture, Ardeth followed her eyes to his wrists. He was holding onto the chains with his hands to keep the manacles from cutting into his wrists too much, and this revealed the compass tattoos and the sacred markings on his wrists. The boy raised an eyebrow, wondering why that interested her.

Denna's eyes lingered there for a moment before locking onto Ardeth's a smile beginning to tug the corners of her mouth. Without turning from the boy, she called out to the Mord'Sith behind her. "Bring me the Seeker and the other brat," she ordered.

Ardeth's eyes narrowed. 'Rick, she is sending someone to bring you and Richard here. She saw my wrist markings, and I think she figured out that we are closer than we look in appearance.'

'I'm surprised she didn't notice it sooner,' Rick answered nodding. 'But I don't think she'll be able to figure out anything from that. Thanks for the heads up.'

Rick drew his attention back to the cell quickly. He turned immediately to Richard. "They're coming for us," he warned him.

Richard looked up, startled, and quickly moved to erase the signs of his magic practice. "Why are they coming? Is Ardeth injured?"

"Ardeth's alright but he thinks Denna discovered the tattoo he and I both have. She might have seen it on me while she was trying to break through the protection spell before, and probably thinks that she can use it to find a link between us."

A couple of seconds later, the door to the cell opened and the Mord'Sith entered the room.

Without saying a word, the Mord'Sith walked forward and snapped chains on the collars around their necks. As they left the cell, several guards fell in behind them.

The two captives fell into step. As they went Richard was watching their every move and observing as much of his surroundings as he could, trying to verify the layout and the guard stations that he remembered from his last imprisonment. He wanted to be as certain as he could be about the patrols and man power, otherwise an escape would be impossible.

Rick however was preparing himself mentally, he knew the second he got into that room and saw Ardeth's injuries he might lose control of his temper. If his brother was right, he could not afford to jeopardize their chance to turn Denna.

Once inside the torture chamber, Denna turned to look at them. She smirked at Rick, and went over to the boy, turning his wrist to reveal the tattoos that matched Ardeth's.

Rick's eyes immediately sought out his brother, partly to see how he was doing physically, also to allow Denna to think that it didn't matter that she had discovered his mark. As he saw Ardeth hanging he swallowed hard at the raw welts the agiel had left. Breathing slowly he quashed his anger forcing it back down. 'Ardeth?' he called out to him.

'I am here, my brother.' Ardeth told him, mind-voice calm and reassuring. 'It will be fine.'

Relieved to hear his voice, Rick took another deep breath then turned back to Denna, pretending to just have noticed that her hand was clasped about his wrist. He yanked his hand out of hers, knowing that he had to keep his behavior towards her consistent with the way it had been before. If he was completely impassive now, she would know she had found something.

"I think you two boys have been trying to hide something from me." Denna said, taking the chain and bringing Rick over to stand next to where Ardeth hung. The other Mord'sith chained Richard up to one of the walls, out of the way, but he had an excellent view.

A few smart remarks immediately popped into Rick's mind but he managed to divert them before they made their way out of his mouth. He looked at the woman in disbelief. "What this?" he said pointing to his wrist, looking at the seal of the Med-jai royal family. "You think I could hide something like this? It does kind of stand out a bit, wouldn't you say?" he said holding it closer for her to see.

Denna frowned at him. With one easy movement, she lifted Rick's hand to compare the tattoos to the ones that Ardeth had. Ardeth raised an eyebrow at the Mord'Sith. "And your point is?"

Denna's eyes narrowed but her frosty smile widened. "You boys have more in common then you are letting on," she purred.

"What? That we have the same tattoo artist?" Rick asked.

"And it proves that we like similar things—after all, Rick copied my tattoos. Well, some of them." Ardeth said, sending a teasing nudge to Rick through their bond.

"Hey, you dared me to!" Rick threw back with a chuckle. "What was I going to do? Let the other guys think I was afraid? But one's enough for me, thanks."

Ardeth grinned at that. "Someday, I will have to convince my father to show you all of his, and then you will realize how sad it is to only have one."

Tiring of the banter between the boys, Denna gave a nod to the guard standing at the edge of the room. It was time to refocus their attention. The soldier nodded, and released the lock on the pulley holding Ardeth suspended and then reengaged it a second later causing the prince's weight to jerk roughly against his shoulders.

The boy gasped as his shoulders were wrenched painfully—his left shoulder actually dislocated with a horrible pop. Swallowing hard, Ardeth fought back the nausea, trying to figure out how to move to get his shoulder back in place.

Richard jerked tight against the chains restraining him to the wall, his own memories dancing about him and wanting more than anything to keep this boy from experiencing the same pain he had.

Rick ran closer trying to help his brother but Denna held her agiel close to Ardeth's dislocated shoulder, halting him dead in his tracks. He quickly enacted a spell to help his brother with the pain not daring to move closer.

Denna kept her eyes on Ardeth, the agiel ready for use, but directed her question to Rick. "I do hope that you are ready to cooperate now. Tell me how you two know each other, and do not lie!"

Rick looked from the woman to the agiel poised to strike his brother, and back again, his eyes filled with fear. "But no matter what I say, even if I were to tell you the truth, you would not believe me. You would just assume I'm lying," he replied, his mind racing, trying to think of someway to keep his brother from getting hurt without betraying the truth.

The Mord'sith sneered at him. "Do you know how much damage a dislocated shoulder can cause? If I were to apply my agiel right here, his muscles would tense instinctively, and tear. It might even rip the ligaments and tendons, and he would loose the use of this arm."

Rick cringed inside at the description, but tried not to let it show on the outside. He couldn't tell her what she wanted to know. He knew she wouldn't believe anything he said anyways. But to be so powerless to save his brother such agony when he was standing right beside him killed him inside. Then he had an idea. His face reddened and he looked down at the floor. But he called through their bond, 'Play along with me.' Then he spoke aloud to Denna. "Alright," he whispered brokenly.

Ardeth kept his expression neutral, and his eyes focused on Denna. 'All right, my brother. I will play along.' he promised, and watched as Denna half-turned away from him to look at Rick.

"A few months ago I was captured by slavers. The man who captured me doesn't like to lose track of his possessions," Rick spat out the word with disdain. "So he marks all of his slaves. Ardeth was captured and marked a few days after I was. But when a nomad tribe attacked the camp, we managed to escape together," He looked up at Denna, anger and shame in his eyes as if he were begrudging her every detail she was forcing him to reveal. This was not far from the truth, for the event he spoke of had happened to them, just not at the time they had met. But he had chosen his words carefully and let enough of his defenses down so that she could see in his eyes that every word he had spoken was true.

Denna smirked, and pulled her agiel away from Ardeth. "That was not so difficult, was it?" She nodded to the other Mord'sith, and Rick was pulled over to the wall next to Richard.

Rick went with her only out of fear for his brother but grateful that Denna had bought his story. Though it did put them at the disadvantage of revealing that they were close, it at least didn't reveal the mark's true meaning.

At a hand signal from Denna, the guard lowered Ardeth to the floor, moved forward, and put his shoulder back into place. The boy's face went white, but he didn't make a sound. Then, Ardeth was lifted back into the air, his injured shoulder sending waves of agony through him.

Rick had been relived to see them set his brother's shoulder but tensed again as he was returned to his place above the pit.

Denna was circling Ardeth, stretching out her hand to touch his injured skin as she paced leisurely about him. "So the other two seekers are nothing more than slaves," she purred with satisfaction. "There's a certain irony to it, but then the accommodations I've given you should help you to feel right at home then." She stopped in front of Bay caressing his face possessively. "Shouldn't it?"

Ardeth's eyes were hooded. "You should remember that neither of us were born slaves. And what do you mean, 'other two seekers'? Richard is the Seeker."

"Richard is a Seeker, but many have been born across the ages," she answered. "This is the first time in history that more than one have been born within the same lifetime. "You see," she continued as she resumed pacing, "while anyone can use the Sword of Truth, only a Seeker can truly wield it or access the magic the ancient blade possesses."

'This is not good. How could she know that all of us can use the Sword?' Ardeth asked through the bond, opening his training bond with Richard enough so that he could participate in the silent conversation.

'I don't know,' Rick said his apprehension growing. 'No one saw but Richard Zed and Kahlan. It wasn't Chase or his men because we hadn't dropped off the...' he froze, his breath catching in his chest. '...the prisoners. The prisoner that escaped. He must have seen us holding the sword.'

'Mummy's Breath!' Ardeth shook his head, frowning. 'This could be bad. Any ideas for damage control?'

'I don't think she'd buy ignorance since you were traveling with me,' Richard replied, trying to think of something but coming up empty.

"Imagine Lord Rahl's surprise to find that two new Seekers had joined Richard in his quest to supplant him," Denna continued, then jabbed Ardeth unexpectedly with the agiel. "He was very upset," she said as the magic began racing through Ardeth's body.

Ardeth gasped, taken by surprise, and slammed up shields over both bonds, hoping that no one had noticed the way the other two jerked a little as they felt his pain.

While Rick felt the surge of pain, he was struggling against his bonds anyways. Pushing his way through his brother’s barriers he fed Ardeth healing and strength, trying to draw the pain away as much as he could.

Denna finally pulled the agiel away, smirking in smug satisfaction as she turned her eyes to the other two seekers. “When Lord Rahl is upset and demands answers, who can refuse him?” she said quirking an eyebrow. “Now I want to know where you two come from,” she waved the leather wand between the Med-jai, “and how you got here.”

Rick’s heart wrenched violently. They didn’t know specifically, but he was almost sure she wouldn’t believe that even looking into his eyes. And she couldn’t know what they did suspect, or she could help Rahl to attack their own world. “You can know for a fact that if we knew the way to get home, we would not be here right now as your ‘guests’,” he answered, hoping she would see the logic of his statement.

Denna glared at Rick, and showed her displeasure at his answer by running the agiel lightly down Ardeth’s side, forcing another gasp out of the boy. Richard fought against the manacles and chains holding him, desperate to stop the pain he knew Ardeth must be in.

"Leave him alone!" Rick yelled. "I swear it to you! Do you truly think that if we had a choice between being home and being tortured by you that we would choose to be here?"

Smirking, the Mord'sith finally pulled the agiel away from Ardeth. "I do not presume to know any of the insanity that might enter a Seeker's mind." She said, voice mocking. "Now, tell me where you are from!"

Rick looked down at the floor making trying to seem as though he didn't want to reveal the information, trying to get her to assume that it was of great importance and that she was making progress in her interrogation. "You won't have heard of it; no one here has. The place is called Cairo," he confessed hesitantly.

'Well played, Rick. She thinks she is making progress. Please ignore what I am about to say' Ardeth murmured through the bond. "Rick! What do you think you're doing?" The boy hissed out loud, and let himself flinch when Denna brought the agiel up towards his face, not quite touching him.

Inwardly, O'Connell was chuckling in approval at Ardeth's words. It was a nice touch. He kept the act going, but making sure to be careful that his reaction seemed realistic. They couldn't push it too far or they would all pay, but Ardeth especially since he was the only one Denna could vent her frustrations on. Rick let himself feel how deeply those words would hurt him if Ardeth had truly meant them so that his response would be genuine. He raised hurt and shame-filled eyes to look at his brother. "I can't let her go on torturing you," he said, his voice wavering slightly.

Poor Richard was buying their performance and looking between the two in alarm. He didn't want the prince to suffer either, but they couldn't give Denna what she wanted.

Ardeth caught sight of Richard's glance, and opened the training bond again, so that the man could hear Rick and Ardeth talking. 'Don't you think that's laying it on a bit think, Rick?' Ardeth asked dryly, while physically he dropped his head as if he was starting to break.

Richard looked back and forth between the boys, and sighed inwardly in relief. 'Thank the spirits,' he breathed but managed to keep his expression the same as it had been when he had believed that Rick was truly breaking.

Rick nudged his brother through the bond. But outwardly he returned his gaze to the floor, letting his shoulders slump in defeat.

Denna sent a triumphant smirk over to the other Mord'sith, convinced that she was finally making progress. Then, she started questioning the boys about various things, trying to determine if they knew anything about the Midlands.

These questions went by a little more smoothly, since Rick and Ardeth truly knew very little about the Midlands. Eventually, she felt she had made enough progress to reward them with a respite. She grabbed Ardeth's chin and forced his face to turn towards Rick. "I want you to take a good look at your friend over there," she said sweetly. "He has saved you many painful lessons today. You should be grateful to him and follow his example."

"Rick . . . " Ardeth trailed off into silence, like he wasn't certain how to respond to this. Inwardly, he was laughing. 'Well done, my brother! Your acting skills have improved greatly since we met!'

Rick wouldn't raise his eyes to meet Ardeth's, but in his heart he was relieved beyond measure. 'Thanks, let's just hope that we can keep this up until we escape."

Denna watched Ardeth's reaction with satisfaction. After releasing her grip on Ardeth, she strode over to Rick, and stroked his cheek tenderly and raising his chin so that he was looking into her eyes. "You have done well. I'm proud of you. Your wisdom has earned you and the other two seekers your rations for the day and a time of rest. Remember, I will always reward obedience," she comforted him.

'Oh, look, it's the Mord'Sith's pet!' Ardeth said, teasing Rick away from the dangerous rage he could feel filling the older boy.

Ardeth could hear Rick's mental chuckle at his brother's jibe and could feel the tension emanating from him relax slightly as he concealed his disgust for this woman and his repulsion at having to subject himself to her touch. He kept his eyes glazed as though he were ashamed of his weakness, but allowed some confusion to show through as though she was beginning to succeed in twisting his thoughts.

Denna smiled warmly then gave a nod to the guards who began to unchain the three boys.

The guards had to half-carry Ardeth, as he purposely did his best to make it seem like he was about ready to break. Richard followed behind his guard obediently, looking like he was in shock.


	7. Chapter 7

Rick kept his eyes on the ground all the way back to the cell. But as soon as the guard closed the door and their footsteps faded away, he inhaled deeply, trying to will his muscles to relax. He had been petrified that somehow, Denna would see through him and then Ardeth would be punished for his deceit. He turned immediately to Bey, trying to see how he was physically.

Ardeth smiled at Rick, leaning back against the cold stone wall. 'I am fine, Rick. Your healing has succeeded. And that was very well played back there. I think we convinced all of them that we are breaking, and that I am much weaker than I truly am.'

Rick smiled slightly. 'Thank goodness,' he murmured, clapping his brother's shoulder, then lowering himself to the floor, mentally and emotionally exhausted, 'When she dislocated your shoulder and threatened to...' Rick shook his head. 'I was certain that ...' But then he looked up at Ardeth with a tired but genuine smile. 'But they bought it. And you're okay,' he said. 'That was nice touch back there, by the way. Glad you gave me the heads up though,'

'Do not worry, my brother. If it ever seems that I have turned on you, trust that it is either acting or a spell. I cannot turn away from the brother of my soul.' Ardeth told him, resting a gentle hand on Rick's shoulder. Then he shifted a little, including Richard in the conversation. 'I think we need to try to escape as soon as possible, while the protection spell is still in effect.'

Richard nodded in agreement. 'Hopefully Zane will be back soon. We'll need to eat quickly or we won't last long enough to find help. Then if he's ready we'll leave as soon as he says it's clear.'

'Well, for now we should relax, and conserve our energy. I am actually amazed that she stopped so soon.' Ardeth admitted, gently rotating his shoulder.

'Thank goodness,' Rick sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. 'And hopefully this will get her to lower her guard somewhat.' His face twisted in disgust as he rubbed his hands over his face, trying to rub the feeling of her fingers stroking his face out of his sensation memory. It had been quite difficult to restrain himself from turning his head suddenly to bite her.

The prince snickered. 'I am trying to imagine her reaction if she realized just how much of a fool we are playing her for. I do not think she would be happy.'

Rick scoffed slightly. 'Yeah, no kidding. But let's hope we never have to find out.'

'This is very true. How are you holding out, Richard?' Ardeth asked, turning his attention to the man.

'Okay,' Richard replied, smiling and shaking his head. 'Started panicking there for a while but I felt better once you two let me in on your performance.' He laughed nervously. 'You two almost gave me a heart attack!'

Ardeth grinned at Richard. 'Sorry about that, we are so used to using our bond to communicate that it is often difficult to remember that not everyone knows what we say.'

Richard shook his head reassuringly. 'No that's okay, I'm just glad it was an act, and that Denna bought it.'

Soon they heard footsteps in the hall approaching. Rick quietly but quickly scooted farther away from his brother so that their behavior would fall consistent with how "well" the interrogation had gone, allowing it to seem as though Rick's weakness had driven a wedge of distrust between them.

The door flew open, and Zane came in, carrying food and water. He put it down harshly, using the opportunity to glance around at them and try to figure out if they had broken, since that would endanger himself.

Rick smiled and shook his head as Zane caught his eyes. "It was an act," he mouthed silently. This was confirmed as he looked at the other two. All three were tired but smiled and nodded reassuringly at him.

Zane closed his eyes, obviously relieved. "That is good. Do you know the way out?" he asked Richard, after making certain none of the other D’harans were near.

Richard nodded. "I think so. How many guard stations are there between the cell and the entrance? And what about patrols?"

Taking a deep breath, the man gave them all of the information about the fortress. Since he was the highest ranking soldier in the fortress except for the Mord'sith, Zane had arranged for the patrols to avoid the halls that the seekers would need to escape.

The three of them listened to the captain's words closely memorizing the route in their minds as best they could. Once he had finished Richard clasped his arm firmly. "I appreciate this, and I'm not going to forget your help," he thanked Zane quietly.

"I just want what's best for my family. But remember, if you get captured again, I don't think there will be any way for me to help you." Zane warned them, nervously running a hand through his hair.

Richard nodded without hesitation. Zane had risked a lot just speaking with them. "I understand. Thank you. You need to go before they suspect something. When should we make our move?"

"Go as soon as possible. The Mord'Sith are reporting their success to Lord Rahl, and they will be away for some time. Most of the soldiers are out searching for any trace of your companions, to the west." Zane stood and backed towards the door.

"Companions? Kahlan and Zed are here?" Richard whispered. He nodded. "If we can reach them, they can cover our escape." Richard looked up at Zane. "Go, we'll give you some time to distance yourself and create an alibi."

The man nodded, and left the cell, closing the door with a clang. Ardeth scooted forward to the food and water he had left behind. "Come and eat—we'll need all of our strength."

The seekers hurriedly ate their rations as they ran over the plan a couple more times in their heads. Once they were finished Richard turned to Rick and Ardeth. "Once we reach the entrance, we need to head east. Kahlan and Zed will probably find us easily once we get out of the keep. If for any reason we manage to get separated, just keep running east."

Both boys nodded. "I do not think we will have any problem getting out of this place, or staying free, as long as they do not realize that we are missing right away." Ardeth said, glancing at the door.

"So blasting the door open wouldn't be the best idea, I suppose," Rick concluded, a wry grin on his face.

Ardeth rolled his eyes. "I will do the lock picking spell, since I can get it to work almost all the time."

Rick gave sigh of mock-disappointment. "Alright, we'll use the subtle approach." But then he turned serious. "You guys ready?"

The three of them stood, and Ardeth moved forward. He rested his hand on the lock of the cell, and whispered a phrase. The door cracked open. "Shall we leave this place?"

"Don't have to ask me twice," Rick replied with a smile.

The three of them slipped through the halls, following the path Zane had told them about. True to the soldier's word, they encountered no other soldiers, and had no problems getting through the various maze-like halls.

Silently they crept from floor to floor making their way down the levels of the tower. Though they were moving quickly enough, each second seemed to stretch impossibly long feeling like hours to them as the fear of being caught pulsed in the back of their minds, both urging speed and demanding caution. Eventually they made it to the entrance.

There were two soldiers standing guard there. Ardeth crept up behind one of them, while Rick went after the other. The boys struck at the same moment, knocking their targets out without any sound.

The unconscious men fell noiselessly to the ground. Not wasting time, they scanned the landscape, checking to see if the coast was clear.

There was no sign of anyone, so after exchanging a glance, the three of them bolted for the forest. Unfortunately the tower entrance faced north, so they had to circle it to go in the right direction.

They had almost reached the eastern wall when a cry was hear from behind. One of the patrols searching for Kahlan and Zed had made a discovery and had returned earlier than scheduled to report their findings immediately to Denna. But as they had rounded the path around the north western corner of the tower they saw the retreating figures of the seekers running in the opposite direction.

Ardeth glanced over his shoulder and saw them. 'Faster! We're being chased!' He gasped out through the bonds to Richard and Rick. But even as he struggled to obey his own command, he stumbled and fell, his body protesting the abuse he had been through.

Rick ran back to help his brother, the Seeker only a couple of steps behind him. O'Connell was moving as fast as he could, his heart pounding harder and louder with every step as he saw the D'haran patrol swiftly closing in on his brother. Rick reached Ardeth's side just as Ardeth had regained his footing. But at that moment he saw the archer assigned to this patrol notching his bow and aiming his sites on Ardeth's heart. Rick quickly grabbed his brother by the shoulders throwing him back to the ground again just as the bowman let his arrow fly. The wind was driven from Rick in a gasp as the shaft buried itself deep into his chest, catapulting him back into the grass.

Ardeth's eyes widened, and he immediately forgot about the soldiers. "Rick?" he asked, pulling his twin into his arms. His hands almost glowed with the healing spells that he was trying to work, but he could still feel the bond slipping away.

Rick's hands grasped his weakly. A small rivulet of blood began to trickle out of the corner of his mouth as he struggled to breathe. He looked into his brother's eyes, realizing with anguish that this would be the last time he would ever see him again. 'Go,' he pleaded through their bond, in too much pain to speak aloud. 'Get out of here while you still can!'

'I am not going to leave you, Rick, my soul-brother. Please, do not leave me!' Ardeth pleaded, trying to find some way to remove the arrow without causing any more pain or injury to Rick. Vaguely, he heard the sounds of battle, and some part of his mind realized that Richard had turned back as well and was fighting the soldiers.

Rick's body was trembling as Ardeth held him . He was losing blood rapidly and it was becoming more difficult to breathe though he was fighting death with every ounce of strength he had left. His grip on Ardeth tightened, not wanting to leave him to face the Mord'Sith alone, but unable to stop the heaviness that was pulling him away. 'I'm so sorry, Ardeth,' he breathed. 'I'm proud to have had you as my brother,' he said, his glistening eyes beginning to overflow as he tried to pull closer to Ardeth. But slowly his grip weakened, and his eyes began to lose their focus.

"No! Rick, do not leave me! Please, my brother, fight!" Ardeth's distress showed in that he wasn't speaking only in English, but in a mixture of several different languages. Tears fell down his face as he poured even more strength and healing through their bond, trying to draw Rick back.

Rick clung to Ardeth in a last desperate attempt to hold on to his world, his brother’s presence like a life line. But after a moment, his body slumped in the prince’s grasp, weight pulling his lifeless arms free from his embrace. Rick’s blue eyes stared outward unseeing, the bond silenced as he was torn from the brother of his soul.

Ardeth made no sound as the other half of his soul was ripped away from him. He sat, perfectly still, hands clenched around Rick’s arms. After a long moment, he silently, carefully removed the arrow from Rick’s chest, and gently put his brother’s body on the ground. Standing, he turned to face the guards. All of them backed away from him, terrified by the fury on his face.


	8. Chapter 8

Richard, confused when the soldiers stopped their attack, turned to see what had drawn their attention. His heart dropped into his stomach with a sickening thud as he caught sight of Ardeth beside Rick's body. But he pushed it aside, forcing himself to take advantage of the distraction. Inside, his heart twisted in grief. He hadn't wanted either of the boys in this position, and now one of them was dead because of him.

The soldiers, still staggered by the power of Ardeth's fury, slowly resumed the battle, trying to remind themselves that he was just a boy, and that they feared Denna's wrath more than facing the rage of the Med-jai.

Ardeth stalked forward, and paused a few steps away from the soldiers. "Which one of you killed my brother?" he demanded, fists clenched as he stared across the D’harans.

The D'harans froze again, thrown by the boy's actions. After a second one man stepped forward leering at the boy with arrogance and contempt. "I did," he boasted. "I was aiming for you. But the arrow still reached the same mark, just in a lodged itself into a different chest," he spat at the boy, daring him to do something about it. "From area I struck, I can assure you that his death was excruciating."

"I do not think you understand your peril," Ardeth said, voice strong. "I do not normally seek revenge, as it is against the principles of the Med-jai, but your own words testify against you."

Richard looked over sadly at Ardeth. He knew how he was feeling, the same rage he had felt when his father had been murdered, the same loss and grief when Michael had been killed. 'Ardeth,' he called through the training bond, 'don't do this, not for revenge. It won't make you feel better. Rick wouldn't want you to do this because of him.'

The boy's shoulders tensed. 'Do not presume to know what Rick would want!' he snapped, and started circling the man. Even though he was unarmed, and dressed in just a pair of pants, everyone backed away from him.

But Richard shook his head and kept talking. Ardeth was enraged and blinded by the loss he had just suffered; he wasn't thinking clearly. Cypher had to get through to him. 'I've only known you for a short while, but I know that Rick was proud of you. He looked up to you. You can't do this; you know he wouldn't want to see you give in to your hatred. You told him earlier to have mercy on Denna even after what she gladly put you through, and he did because he knew that you were right,' he urged. 'Killing this man won't stop the pain. Trust me, I know. And then you would regret this moment for the rest of your life.' He paused for a second trying to catch Ardeth's eyes. 'You knew Rick better than anyone. So you tell me. Would your brother want you to walk around with that burden, with that pain, for the rest of you life?'

Ardeth stopped stalking the man and shivered. His eyes focused a little more, but he still didn't seem to be completely aware of his surroundings. 'You are right, Richard. I will not kill this man, but I am certainly not going to let him go free.' The boy turned to face the man. "I am Ardeth Bey, heir apparent to the throne of the twelve tribes of the Med-jai. By right of name, blood, and power, I am a Med-jai warrior. You just murdered my twin, and by doing this, you may have shattered the future."

Richard breathed a sigh of relief and nodded. Ardeth was right; the man had to be stopped, but he was glad at least that Bey was back in control of himself again. But as he heard Ardeth's proclamation, apprehension began to settle over him, wondering if he was referring to the prophesy of the Seeker or something else.

The soldier looked at Ardeth, a mixture of amusement and confusion on his face. The boy was intimidating even though he was shorter than he and unarmed, but the soldier still didn't fear him, greatly underestimating the prince. He didn't know what the boy was talking about, assuming that he meant averting the prophesy of the Seeker. "That was the point. No Seeker will ever be allowed to stand against Lord Rahl. And besides," he sneered cruelly, "you have no future." He jerked his head over to where O'Connell was sprawled on the ground. "You'd better take a good look at your friend there, because you're going to be joining him soon."

"No, you do not understand me." Ardeth's voice was still layered with grief, but it was also powerful. "My brother and I are not from this world, and by killing my twin, you have doomed our world to death and despair. So. By my right as soul-brother of the one murdered, I declare you a traitor of humanity. You will know all of the emotions of those you have doomed to die. So be it!"

With his words, the stagnant heat that had oppressed the valley that sweltering summer day was broken by a gale of wind came out of nowhere in, ripping around the tower swirling around the group. The D'harans cast about at the strange occurrence, shivering as the unnaturally cold wind swept around them, its fingers pulling at them and almost causing them to stumble. Then in an instant it had vanished, and the day was as it had been: sweltering even now as the sun was beginning its descent into dusk.

The archer, though unnerved by the wind, chuckled at Ardeth's words. "Is that all you've got?" He shook his head. "Some Seeker you are."

The Med-jai prince's smile was not kind. "If you start running now, I will give you a head start."

The archer's smile widened. He was going to enjoy making this whelp eat his words. "Oh you have a lot to learn boy. But don't worry, I'll make it quick, quicker than your brother died anyways," he mused. Drawing his sword he lunged at the boy.

In one easy movement, Ardeth sidestepped the blow, and kicked the archer's arm, badly bruising it. He would find it difficult to hold onto his sword.

The man reeled from the unexpected blow, his eyes widening in surprise at how easily he'd hit him. He was one of the best fighters in his unit and was not so easily hit, and to be hit so quickly by this boy who had to be at least a decade younger than he was, irritated him greatly. He turned and tried to attack the boy again, keeping his guard up a little more so as not to be humiliated in front of his comrades again.

This time, Ardeth stepped into the blow, hitting the flat of the blade with his arm and knocking it away from himself. And with his other hand, he snatched the dagger from the archer's belt.

The archer hesitated as he saw his blade in Ardeth's hand, pointed at him. For the first time, he began to reconsider the odds of his success against a boy who was apparently a little stronger than he thought. His stance became more defensive as he tried to get out of his opponent's reach.

Once again, Ardeth started stalking the man, easily flipping the dagger in his grip, getting accustomed to the feel of the blade. He moved almost like a cat stalking its prey, and the rest of the soldiers backed away, wanting no part in this.

The man watched the prince warily as they circled, his confidence draining away with each passing second. Then, he turned and tried to start making his away from his opponent, looking for help from his fellow soldiers. But none of the men in his unit was willing to come to his aid.

But suddenly, the battle was halted. Ardeth's attention was so focused on his brother's murder that he hadn't noticed the approach of the Mord'Sith that had come to investigate the commotion outside the fort. As Ardeth advanced on the coward, he was caught from behind by Denna. She drove her agiel down hard near the base of his neck, intending to stun him without knocking him out.

Ardeth's legs gave out from the sudden shock to his system, and he found himself on his knees. Painfully, the boy tried to tighten his grip on the dagger, hoping to defend himself, but Denna smashed the agiel down on his arm, and the dagger fell to the soft grass.

Richard whirled and saw her poised over Ardeth, he had been to focused on the other D'haran soldiers ready to defend Ardeth if they tried to gang up on him that he hadn't even heard them coming. He moved to try and help him, but Denna simply turned enraged eyes towards him as she brandished the agiel, poising it an inch from Ardeth's heart. Richard stopped in his tracks, dark understanding dawning on him. Their chance for escape was gone. And Rick O'Connell had died for nothing.

Glaring up at Denna, Ardeth's eyes showed clearly the pain and grief tearing through him—for the first time, Denna could tell that his defenses were down. The soldiers, realizing that Ardeth and Richard were disarmed by the Mord'sith, hurried forward to take charge of the prisoners again.

Denna looked down at Ardeth curiously. She knew he was too proud and too well trained to let an enemy see him in this condition. Then as the soldiers were retaking the boys she saw Rick lying in the grass in a pool of his own blood. Her smile was wicked as she walked over to loom over the boy's corpse. This could prove to her advantage. She knelt by his body to assess the extent of the damage. The only thing she could see was the hole in his chest, no doubt caused by the blood-soaked arrow on the ground beside him. She pulled of one of her leather gloves and laid her hand on the boy's cheek. He hadn't died long ago; his skin was just beginning to cool. Her smile widened in satisfaction.

"Don't touch him!" Ardeth shouted, furious that Denna dared to touch Rick's body. He struggled fiercely against the soldiers holding him, only slightly hampered by the pain from the agiel.

Denna turned her smile towards him, rising to her feet again and pulling her glove back on. She nodded to the guards who brought him closer to Rick. Once they got him close enough Denna grabbed his chin and forced him to look down at his brother's body. "Your friend is dead," she murmured triumphantly in his ear. "I warned you that you would pay if you did not cooperate. Now look at what your pride and stubbornness has cost you. And it was not even my hand that took his life. If you hadn't defied me, he would still be alive."

Ardeth's dark eyes met her own, still defiant, but almost overwhelmed with loss. "Do not touch him again." the boy warned, reaching inside himself, trying to find some magical energy left to cast a spell on Denna, but he had no strength left at all. The only reason he was still conscious was the adrenaline flooding his system.

She only smiled at this. The boy had no idea what this meant. Not only was he not in a position to be making demands, but now that the protection spell had worn off, there would be nothing to stop her. But she kept that inside. Let the boy think his friend had died. It would help to weaken him. "Very well," she acquiesced sweetly. "You will carry his body back into my chambers. We would not want to separate you from your friend."

At a motion from Denna, the soldiers let go of Ardeth. The boy immediately dropped to one knee beside Rick, and started trying to pick up the taller boy. It was a struggle, but he managed to get back to his feet.

Richard's heart went out to Ardeth as he watched him carefully balance Rick's weight. From all he had been through, he knew the boy was exhausted, physically, emotionally and mentally. He glared at Denna having expected such cruelty from her. She simply smiled back. "And if the boy can't handle the job you will help him."

As Ardeth struggled to carry Rick back to the tower, he whispered in Arabic to his brother. The young prince was now deep in shock, and almost completely unaware of his surroundings. When one of the soldiers accidentally got too close and brushed against Rick’s dangling foot, Ardeth reacted with all the ferocity of a wild animal.

Denna struck the prince with her gloved hand, sparing him the agiel for the moment, not wanting to slow their progress any more than necessary. She had to have Rick revived soon and it would do no good to cause Ardeth to drop his body. She would not let him forget his place though. “Keep moving,” she commanded, brusquely.

Though while their mistress had supported them, seeing the fury in the boy’s eyes, the D’haran soldiers unconsciously agreed to give the prince a wider berth.

Turning his head to one side, Ardeth spat out blood. Denna’s blow had cut the inside of his cheek on his teeth. Once again ignoring everyone else, Ardeth followed the Mord’Sith through the halls.

As they ascended the tower to Denna’s chambers, Richard watched Ardeth carrying Rick with sorrow. The boy had already suffered through so much, and to be forced to bear his brother’s body back into the enemy fortress was unconscionable. But as cruel as this was, this was going to be nothing compared to what he suspected Denna had planned next. He wondered if he should tell Ardeth about the Mord’Sith’s ability to bring their victims back to life in the event that they should die too soon in their training. But to tell the prince that his brother would live again only to endure the excruciating torment of Mord’Sith interrogation methods, the Seeker decided to spare him this horrible foreknowledge.

Still ignoring his surroundings, Ardeth realized in some distant, strangely calm part of his mind, that his arms were about to give out. Dropping gracefully to one knee, the boy very gently put Rick’s body back down on the cold stone floor. Ardeth traced the tattoos Rick had with a trembling finger, trying to focus.

Rick’s eyes, still open, gazed out vacantly. His skin was paler and colder now than it had been before. Swallowing hard at this cruel reminder of the gaping hole in his soul, Ardeth closed Rick’s eyes with a barely restrained sob.

Denna savored Ardeth’s condition for a moment, enjoying the effect this unexpected turn of events had on him, giving her a glimpse of despair and pain she hadn’t been able to get out of him with the “training” which had broken so many others. But she soon gave a nod to the guards who stepped forward and began to drag Ardeth away from Rick’s body.

Ardeth fought against the guards, calling them names and insulting them in every language he knew. Two of the guards ended up unconscious on the floor before Denna finally got frustrated and stepped in. Two quick blows of the agiel were enough to stun Ardeth long enough for the soldiers to chain the boy up.

Denna glared down at Ardeth as if scolding a misbehaving child. “You’ve had your opportunity to pay your last respects,” she chided in a school-teacher voice. Then she turned and moved over to Rick’s side and knelt beside him, leaning down over him as if she were going to kiss him.

“No! Do not touch Rick like that!” Ardeth yelled, and after that slipped into different languages. The boy tried to find the magical strength to throw Denna away from Rick, but his reserves were completely gone.

Denna seemed to pause for a second, her lips not quite reaching Rick’s, but neither did she seem to be paying any attention to Ardeth’s objections. She opened O’Connell’s mouth with her hand gently as if to receive her kiss. But then a glowing mist seemed to creep out of her mouth and into Rick’s, as if an entity with a life of its own.

Feeling the powerful magic at work, Ardeth stopped talking and instead tried to discern the purpose of the magic. Then, impossibly, the hole in his soul and mind where Rick had been ripped away from him began to fill.

After a brief moment, Rick took a shuddering breath. An evil light danced in Denna’s eyes at her success. He was alive again; she hadn’t gotten to his body too late. Darken Rahl would have been very displeased with her if she had permanently lost one of the prisoners before determining if he had any valuable information to offer first. But the boy would pay for this dearly.

Rick grimaced, the wound in his chest still painfully fresh as he reached out instinctively through the bond to his brother to see if he was alright. ‘Ardeth?’ he called his brother’s name, sensing he was near at hand.

As Rick brushed Ardeth’s mind, he felt overwhelming waves of grief, pain, and now hope. ‘Rick?’ Ardeth’s mind-voice was soft, and sounded younger than usual. ‘You’re alive again! How is this possible? You died, I felt it, and you were gone, but now you are back!’ Then Ardeth slipped into Rick’s mind, wanting to reassure himself that this was truly Rick returned to him.

Sensing the pain Rick was in from the arrow wound, Ardeth did something all of his magical teachers had forbidden. He drew on his own life-force to cast a healing spell on his brother.

Rick felt the pulsing pain in his chest dampen somewhat as Ardeth’s life-force helped to mend the hole in his chest partly. He was still in pain, but it was easier to breathe now. He was just as confused as Ardeth seemed to be about the whole situation. ‘I don’t know,’ he answered slowly. As he opened his eyes, expecting to see his brother over him, he started slightly to see Denna’s face leering back at him. But what frightened him more was not only that he could now somehow seem to sense her presence near, but that something inside of him was glad to see her again. Shaking his head weakly, he tried to ignore the shiver running down his spine.

‘What is wrong, Rick?’ Ardeth asked, brutally pushing back and suppressing his own emotions so that he could focus on his twin.

‘I’m not sure,’ he breathed at length, fighting back this foreign sense within him that he didn’t understand.

Denna, seeing what the boy was doing, smiled, her eyes cold and unforgiving. “I told you to enjoy the protection magic while you could,” she said with a shrug.

Rick’s eyes hardened, not liking the weakness he was showing, but unable to do anything about it at the moment. Looking about, he saw Ardeth chained on the other side of the room with several guards around him and it pained him to see the additional injuries he had incurred while he was out. Ignoring Denna entirely, he focused on Ardeth. ‘Are you alright?’ he asked sending healing automatically through their bond.

‘I will be fine now that you are back with me. I lost you, Rick. And I was lost without you,’ the boy admitted, trying once again to twist away from the soldiers and get to his brother.

‘I’m sorry,’ Rick said, reaching out to comfort his brother through their bond. ‘I tried to stay, but I’m not going to leave you again, I swear it,’ he promised Ardeth.

Denna grabbed the boy’s chin and force him to look back at her. He tried to pull away from her, but he didn’t have the strength.

“You have a great deal to tell me, don’t you?” Denna asked, with a strange smile. “I gave you the Breath of Life to prove to you and your friend that even death will not save you from me.”

Rick looked at the woman, his eyes defiant, but hidden behind them was a look of dread. If even death could not provide a release from this torment, then did they truly even stand a chance of resisting? But his tone was frosty even though he could barely muster the strength to speak above a whisper. “I have about as much to tell you as before: get lost.”

At that, Denna smirked. She took off one of her gloves and ran a finger down the side of Rick’s face. “You feel it, don’t you?” Denna’s voice was a whisper. “When I brought you back to life, part of my magic and strength bonded to your core. Now, to seek to harm me or to work against my will is as strange to you as fighting yourself. It will be impossible for you to resist for long.”

Rick swallowed hard, refusing to accept this even though he could feel what she said was true, though he could even now sense that part of her inside himself, a wisp of a ghost around his heart, her haunting presence frightening him. Instead he gave her one of his cocky grins. “I can be really stubborn when I put my mind to it,” he assured her.

‘And you are not alone in this,’ Ardeth promised, projecting as much comfort through the bond as he could. ‘Let me into your mind, Rick and I will see if I can seal it off.”

Rick quickly dropped his defenses for his brother. ‘What are we going to do if she can’t be sealed off?’ he asked Ardeth with more than a little concern. ‘We can’t let her use me against you,’ he said with grim determination.

‘I doubt we will fail in sealing her off. But, as you said, you are stubborn. And I am even more stubborn. We will find a way,’ Ardeth promised, as he slid into Rick’s mind. It didn’t take him long to find the alien presence that was Denna’s magic. It was in the process of attaching itself more firmly to Rick’s core. The prince immediately started working to contain it.

In the meantime, Rick kept his face passive so as not to tip her off to Ardeth’s efforts on his behalf. Denna smirked at Rick, amused at his denial. She placed her hand on his chest and then dug her nails into the open wound, causing O’Connell to flinch, barely able to stifle his cry of pain. He tried to pull her hands away from him but he was still physically drained and lacked the strength to fight her.

Leaning even closer to him, Denna began whispering in his ear. “I know you think that by refusing to give me information you are doing the right thing, but if you continue this course, there will be consequences. If I must, I will kill your friend and bring him back over and over until he is completely in my control. Of course, if I did that, it would break him completely, destroy his mind. And you do not want that, do you?”

Rick locked his eyes onto hers. “You can’t break either of us. You still haven’t even gotten close. My friend is stronger than I am; you’ve seen this by how he’s withstood your torments. And I’m not going to be the tool you use to stab him in the back. Besides,” he sneered at her, “you’re only trying to use him to get me to crack because you don’t have what it takes to break me yourself,” he chuckled, laughing in her face.

Denna moved back and slapped him, hard, leaving a red handprint on his face. Ardeth growled low in his throat at that, and kicked out at the nearest guard, trying to get the attention away from Rick.

‘Rick, please, try not to aggravate her. I haven’t the strength to heal you any more.’ Ardeth’s mind-voice was tired. ‘I put the parasite of her magic into a temporary seal. Later I will do more.’

‘That’s why you need to rest,’ Rick insisted. ‘I’m not going to let you go through one more day of what you’ve already suffered for me,’ he told his brother firmly. ‘If you do not recover soon, you’re going to have permanent damage, both physically and magically. How will you be able to help anyone then?’ he asked.

Ardeth had no reply to that. He fought silently against the chains and the soldiers, struggling to free himself. Just then, the door flew open and the other Mord’Sith came in.

“Lord Rahl demands an immediate update,” she told Denna, glancing over the forms of the three prisoners.

Denna nodded to her curtly. She turned back to Rick before rising to leave, caressing his face possessively. “We will finish this discussion soon.”

Rick’s eyes narrowed. “You might want to remove your fingers before you lose them,” he warned as he felt his blood beginning to boil.

The Mord’Sith laughed and ruffled his hair as if he was an unruly but amusing child. She left the room taking all of the guards with her. Once the room was empty, Ardeth sagged in the chains, utterly exhausted.

Rick was looking around for something and finally his eyes caught what e was searching for: a key ring hanging on the wall near where Denna displayed the weapons of those warriors she’d broken. For a few moments, he tried to gather enough strength to rise to his feet. But as he tried to sit up, pushing himself up with his arms, they buckled and gave out from under him. Several times he attempted this, but to no avail. He groaned in frustration at himself.

‘Rick, stop. You’re going to hurt yourself.’ Ardeth opened the bond up so that Richard could hear and participate in their conversation.

Rick stopped moving, looking over at the key ring in exasperation. ‘But it’s so close. I could get it. They’re not going to make the same mistake of leaving me unchained again.’ Rick gauged that he would only have to pull himself a good five feet to reach the trinket that had been left mockingly within his reach.

Richard tugged at his own bonds, but the chains didn’t give at all. ‘Is there a spell you could teach me to move those within reach?’

Rick blinked, and then nodded. Quickly he used the bond to teach Richard how to move smaller objects with the magic he had.

Just as Richard got enough direction behind the spell to send the keys clattering to the floor, the door reopened. Zane stepped in, and looked over the three prisoners.

“Are you all right? When I heard that you had been recaptured, I feared the worst,” the D’haran captain said, wincing when he saw the injury Rick bore.

“Kinda, all things considered,” Rick answered with a shrug then wincing at the surge of pain this action. “We’re all alive but we’re all still here.” Then he chuckled ruefully at the irony of his own statement.

“I am sorry that the patrol found you—they were not supposed to be back for several hours.” Zane shook his head. “They returned to report that there were signs of other people in the woods.”

Richard immediately began shaking his head, trying to reassure the captain. “This isn’t your fault Zane,” he said quickly. “You risked a lot to try and help us and we owe you for that.”

“I’ll see if I can arrange anything else, but there will be problems. There are rumors that something big is going to happen tonight.” Zane paused to make certain no one else was coming. “From the patrol report, I think the wizard and the Confessor are in the area.”

“I hate to ask any more of you, Zane,” Richard said uncertain, “but we’ll take all the help you could give us. But please be careful. We don’t want to endanger you too. If Kahlan and Zed are in the area, maybe they can help get us out without it looking as though they had help from the inside. And Kahlan would recognize you. She knows you can be trusted.”

The captain nodded. “I go off duty in a few hours. I will go visit your friends if I am able. For now, I must go.”

“Thank you. Be safe,” Richard thanked him, nodding gratefully.

As Zane left, Ardeth leaned back against the wall, eyebrows furrowed. ‘Rick, how are your magic levels?’ the boy asked, looking around uneasily. ‘I have a very bad feeling.’

‘Ironically enough, I think dying and then coming back has brought them back up somehow,’ he shook his head in disbelief at the disturbing concept, but then sensing how unsettled Ardeth felt, he looked at him in concern. ‘Why? What is it?’

‘Can you not feel the change in the air? The evil presence is suffocating.’ The boy shook his head, shivering. ‘I do not know what, but something is about to change and not for the better.’

Rick focused his senses outwards, and as he did, a familiar sense of foreboding began to creep over him. ‘Oh no,’ he groaned. He turned quickly to Richard. ‘You don’t happen to have any undead or mummies here in the Midlands, do you?’

The Seeker shook his head. ‘As far as I know, there aren’t any undead. But there’s a lot I don’t know about the Midlands. Zed and Kahlan are always telling me about new evil creatures only I can kill.’

Rick turned to Ardeth. ‘Last time we felt this was at one of the sacred sites, when a Creature was nearby.’

‘I know, Rick. I feel the evil as strongly as you do.’ Ardeth frowned when he realized there were no windows. ‘I believe the moon has risen outside—it is now the time when most evil creatures have their greatest strength.’

‘Wonderful,’ Rick grumbled. ‘Like we need any help in that department,’ he scoffed. He looked over at the key ring that lay on the floor, about to summon it to himself when approaching footsteps caught his attention.

Ardeth’s eyes widened. ‘Quick, get it back on the hook—we do not want them to know what we are capable of!’

Rick cursed softly in frustration as he moved the metal ring into position just as the door opened. All eyes turned towards the entrance, expecting to find Denna there. But instead, a tall man walked into the room. He had a regal bearing, dark shoulder-length hair, and a very trim beard and mustache. His stance was graceful but also belied his physical prowess as a fighter, and his blue eyes were sharp, taking in everything and storing it away for future use. There was a triumphant cast to them now as he surveyed the three prisoners in the room.

Throwing himself against the chains, Richard did his best to get free and attack this new arrival. Ardeth and Rick exchanged a glance at the Seeker’s reaction. ‘I think, somehow, we are in trouble.’

Rick agreed silently as they saw the rage filling Cypher’s eyes. The man smiled at him smugly.

“Hello, Seeker. It is good to see you again,” Darken Rahl greeted with mock-hospitality. “I hope Denna and my men having been making your stay a pleasant one.”


	9. Chapter 9

Richard snarled at the man. “It’s been a while Rahl—how is your face?” the man asked, with a little smirk.

Darken Rahl brushed off the comment with a small chuckle as best he could, but inwardly he burned. Their last encounter had been close. Too close. “Quite healed as you can see. And tell me, how is the Mother Confessor?” Rahl’s eyes glinted malevolently. “She was not well the last time I saw her.”

“Oh, she’s doing really good. We never thanked you for helping her expand her powers,” Richard said, a nasty smile on his face.

Rahl smiled cordially. “Anything for the Seeker. The scales are so weighted against you, it hardly seemed a challenge,” he answered nonchalantly. He turned to observe the Med-jai. “So these are the other two seekers?” he guessed, taking in the boys with an appraising eye. “Times must be desperate indeed if you must call upon children to aid you in a task you cannot perform yourself.”

“Is that not amusing, Rick? He thinks we are children,” Ardeth let his accent creep through more than usual, and his own black eyes met Rahl’s blue eyes. “So you are the evil creature that seeks the impossible. You are different than most creatures I have met in outward appearance, but I can see your soul is completely blackened.

Rick chuckled at his brother’s response, though they were both glad that Rahl seemed to underestimate their abilities.

“And you two, unlike most seekers, are out of your element entirely,” he said thoughtfully as he paced over to Ardeth’s side and then to where Rick was sprawled on the floor. “This is not your fight. You are lost and such a long way from home. So why don’t I help you both? If you can tell me how you came to be here, I can help to send you home. There’s no need for you to suffer anymore here fighting a war that doesn’t involve you. You can return to your land, to your families and live out your lives in peace.

At that, both boys were very amused. Live out their lives in peace? That was extraordinarily unlikely. Ardeth straightened as best he could, pulling his most regal expression into place.

“I do not believe that you understand us at all. As Med-jai—or seekers, if you prefer, it is our duty and honor to fight and destroy evil where ever we find it, or where ever it finds us.”

Rahl let out a longsuffering sigh. “Really, must all Seekers do things the hard way? I am giving you a chance for freedom, to survive the consequences of defying me.” His eyes glittered with a dark warning. “A blessing rarely bestowed. Be sure that it will not be offered again. I have no quarrel with you and do not wish to break you in the interest of peace.”

“You’ve got a quarrel with him,” Rick jerked his head to indicate Richard, “you’ve got a quarrel with us. So you can drop the act.” Gathering his strength, Rick focused every ounce of energy he had, all the magic he had, to encompass Richard in a protection spell. Once he had that in place, he changed targets to Ardeth. But using so much magic had expended it to completely enact a full protection spell over his brother. Gathering what strength he had left, he cast a resistance spell, not as powerful but it would keep Ardeth safe from a great many things and resistant to all else. Drained now, Rick struggled to stay conscious, and had to focus just to keep from gasping at the exertion.

Ardeth felt the magic settle on himself and had to force himself to remain expressionless. Instead, he sent what little strength he had regained in the few minutes of rest into a healing spell on Rick. “What is that American saying, Rick? Ah, yes. Go jump in a lake, Rahl.”

Rahl turned and glared between the two seekers. “Very well, if you wish to do things the hard way, who am I to deny the Seekers?” He moved over to the rack holding the agiels. Picking up one, he cast his gaze between his three captives. “Now which one of you wants to go first?” he intoned playfully, a cruel smile on his face as his eyes lingered momentarily on each of them.

“This is between you and me, Rahl,” Richard growled, twisting the chains yet again. “Unchain me and we’ll finish this fight once and for all!”

Rahl’s smile widened in amusement at Richard’s proposal. “Oh, I don’t think so Richard. But since you are so anxious to face me, I will give you the chance to spare your new friends the pain of an interrogation.” He stalked over to Cypher, holding the agiel close to his face. “You know what I am capable of. You can save them this pain if you cooperate with me. Why ask these strangers to our land to languish in your place?”

“Richard has not asked this of us, but we will do so anyway,” Ardeth said before Richard could respond. The boy could feel the renewed protection spell around Richard and wondered how Rahl would react to it.

Rahl shook his head. “Foolish children,” he mused. “They do not realize the price they will pay for such insolence. You do, though,” the man said to the Seeker. “Shall I give them a taste of the agonies to come?” he asked, a wicked delight dancing across his face as he took a step towards Ardeth.

Ardeth met Rahl’s eyes without flinching. “Do you truly believe that threats frighten us? We have faced creatures before and overcome them. None have prevented us from fulfilling our sacred duty, and you will not be able to stop us.”

“And do you truly think you will be able to stop me?” he chuckled as he approached the prince. “Like you I have met with many obstacles and overcome them all. Do you believe that you will be any different?”

“There is one obstacle you seem to have a little difficulty with,” Richard said, his tone gloating, his eyes burning with a challenge. “No matter how hard you try, you can never see to get rid of me.”

Rahl snarled at that, and stalked back over to Richard. He brought the agiel down hard, meaning to break at least one of the Seeker’s ribs. But the agiel bounced off the air about an inch above Richard’s skin. A retaliatory wave of energy flung Rahl across the room, and sank into him, causing his muscles to spasm.

Richard watched in surprise, fully having expected to pay for his statement. Without looking at Ardeth or Rick, he called out to them through his training bond. ‘What just happened? I thought the protection had worn off.’ Though he was breathing a little more easily as his muscles began to relax from bracing for the expected blow.

‘Rick recast the protection spell on you, and put a resistance spell on me,’ Ardeth told him, watching Rahl with satisfaction. ‘That was almost as amusing as when the protection spell sent that Sith creature into the wall.’

Richard smiled at this, even as Darken Rahl climbed unsteadily to his feet, fury blazing in his eyes. His hair and clothing were disheveled, giving him a most undignified appearance. He stormed to the door and spoke to one of his guards. “Bring Denna to me,” he ordered in a barely controlled tone. The guard scurried away in fear for his life to perform his task.

Ardeth kept himself from laughing at Rahl with an effort. He didn’t want to draw any attention to Rick, who currently had no protection at all. ‘How are you doing, my brother?’ Ardeth asked through the bond when he saw that Rick’s eyes were closed.

‘Tired,’ he replied, but I’m still here.’ He opened his eyes and looked over at his brother with a smile to reassure him that he was alright. ‘Hungry,’ he chuckled. ‘But then again, I’m always hungry.’

‘Maybe our friend among the soldiers will be able to get us some food later.’ All three of the seekers watched Rahl warily as he stalked over to the display in the corner of the room where all of their weapons were.

The door opened and Rahl turned his attention away from the foreign weapons in the display, those that belonged to Rick and Ardeth, and he looked at Denna who stood nervously in the doorway. “Come in, Mistress Denna,” he said his voice dangerously quiet. “There is much I would discuss with you.”

Cautiously, the woman stepped in, taking in Rahl’s disheveled appearance. Then, she screamed as the man brought the agiel down on her shoulder, dropping her to her knees as he held the agiel in place for several long minutes.

Rick watched this with shock. Though he knew he shouldn’t be surprised by Rahl’s actions, to see the woman who had tormented them all in such pain herself did not bring him any satisfaction or pleasure. He was reminded of his brother’s words about her earlier and saw the truth in them now. A pity rose in his heart for her that had nothing to do with the hold she had tried to place on him when she had brought him back to life.

“You told me that the protection the wizard placed on them had worn off,” Rahl growled.

“It had, my lord!” Denna was almost sobbing, but she made no move to try to escape the cruel punishment Rahl was putting her through. “Th-that boy was killed by an archer as they attempted to escape, and is only alive now because I used the Breath of Life on him. The only one of the three prisoners that I could touch was that boy,” Denna pointed to Ardeth, who narrowed his eyes into a glare at Rahl when the man turned to look at him.

After a moment, Rahl removed the agiel from her shoulder and handed the weapon to her. “Then you will see if such is the case now,” he commanded shoving her roughly towards Ardeth.

Denna moved stiffly over to Ardeth and swiftly brought the agiel down. There was an audible ping as it bounced off of the boy’s arm with a force equal to when it was brought down. Denna looked over at Darken Rahl, fear in her eyes as she began to stammer out an apology. “Forgive me, my lord. I have failed you,” she said kneeling before the D’haran.

Denna’s screams soon rang through the tower, driving most of the soldiers to hide in their barracks. Inside the chamber, Richard, Rick and Ardeth were all horrified by what Rahl was doing. The man had forced Denna to strap herself into the chains over the pit, and then he proceeded to demonstrate how skilled and ruthless he was at utterly breaking someone.

Once Rahl had sufficiently vented his anger on the Mord’Sith, he ordered the guards to release her. Bringing her away from the pit, the soldiers unlocked her bindings and allowed her dead weight to bring her battered body slapping to the rock floor. She didn’t move from where she had fallen, lacking even the strength to cry out anymore.

Disgusted, Rahl stepped over her. “Secure the prisoners in their cell,” he ordered her as if she were in a condition even beginning to resemble fit for duty. “They are not to escape.”

“Yes, my lord,” Denna whispered, somehow dragging herself to her knees. Rahl stormed off to try to find some way past the wizard’s spells that had so far protected the prisoners.

Denna struggled to unlock the manacles chaining the prisoners to the wall. Her body was shaking so much from the trauma she had endured, that this took a long while. Her eyes would not meet their gazes that she could feel resting on her, trying to keep her face cold and detached while she attempted to reassert control over her breathing. As soon as she had freed them, she began to lead them back to their cell.

The three Seekers didn’t resist her at all, though they could have easily overcome her with how injured she was. Rick and Ardeth stayed close together, supporting each other as they made their way through the halls. As they were going down a set of stairs, Denna’s legs gave out from under her. She would have fallen if Richard hadn’t grabbed her, keeping her upright and steadying her. Then, once he was confident that she wasn’t going to fall, he backed away again.

She would have pushed him away for having dared to touch her normally, so it showed how weak she truly felt when she gladly accepted his arm. Though she eyed him warily even as he stepped back once she regained her footing. “Why?” she rasped, her voice nearly spent from her tortured earlier. “Why are you helping me?”

Richard stared back at her. “No one should ever be treated like that,” he said after a moment. The Mord’Sith stared back at him for several minutes before finally nodding and starting for the cell again. This time her expression was thoughtful.

As she let them into the cell, she looked long and hard at the three of them. “You’re all fools, you know,” she stated, thought she still sounded uncertain. “You could have escaped. You knew I did not have the strength to stop you.”

“But then Darken Rahl would have punished you again,” Rick replied.

Denna shook her head. “No, he would have killed me—I have failed him too many times for him to be merciful.” After a moment’s hesitation, the woman swung the door closed. “We will speak more later.”

The three collapsed to the floor exhausted. Rick began to laugh tiredly. “Wow, this place looks slightly familiar,” he chuckled wryly. He scooted closer to his brother, glad to know that he was safe for the time being. He had been nearly sick when Rahl had ordered Denna to attack his brother, worried that the spell he had cast would not be strong enough to protect him. And he was still reeling from his death experience before.

Ardeth grabbed Rick into a hug, careful not to bump the arrow wound, but desperately needing the physical reassurance that his brother wasn’t dead.

Rick’s arms wound tightly around his brother in response, a tear making it’s way down his face as he finally succumbed to the torrent of emotions that had been roiling inside of him. “I’m sorry Ardeth,” he breathed. “I fought, I swear, I fought as hard as I could. I didn’t want to abandon you to them,” his voice wavered as he held Ardeth to him tightly. Then he leaned back and looked at his brother. “They didn’t torture you while I was dead, did they?” he asked, almost afraid of the answer. He would never forgive himself to have caused his brother more pain like that.

“I know you fought to stay with me, Rick.” Ardeth rested a soothing hand on Rick’s shoulder. “I nearly lost control, Rick. If Richard had not stopped me, I would have killed the man who murdered you. As it is, I think the curse I laid on him will drive him insane before long.”

Rick glanced over at Richard, giving him a nod of thanks. It was strange to think of Ardeth losing control, especially since he always seemed to be the one talking Rick down from his anger. But O’Connell simply smiled at his brother. “You didn’t though,” he said reassuringly. “I don’t think I could have been as strong in your case.” He embraced his brother again. “I’m so glad I’m with you again,” Rick whispered. He shuddered as he thought of those seemingly endless moments as he had tottered on the edge of the black void of nonexistence, how his soul had been ripped away from Ardeth and plunged into a nothingness so numbing and overwhelming as to be beyond words. “I never want to lose you, my brother.”

“And I never want to lose you,” Ardeth said, finally leaning back against the stone wall, too exhausted to try to stay upright on his own. “Father and Amir will not be happy with us when we get home.”

Rick chuckled, shrugging tiredly. “Well, we’re doing the same thing here that we’d be doing at home. That is our destiny after, all isn’t it?”

At this Richard quirked an eyebrow, remembering Ardeth’s proclamation before the tower. “What did you mean earlier when you told the archer that he had shattered your future?”

Ardeth sighed. “There are a great many evils in our world, but one creature in particular, He Who Shall Not Be Named, is growing restless in his imprisonment. As near as Rick and I can tell, we are fated to stand between evil and our world all our lives. Alone, I will fail. I am not strong enough to do it all alone.”

Richard nodded slowly. “That’s a large weight to bear,” he sighed in sympathy. “Thank goodness she revived him. I’d hate to think we’d doomed your world as you helped to save ours.”

“Yes, I am very glad Rick is returned to me. Are you having any problems with her magic remnant, or has my seal held?” Ardeth asked pulling Rick closer to himself so that they were sharing body heat in the cold stone cell.

Rick took a second to assess himself. Then, he nodded, satisfied. “It’s still in place,” he said quietly. “I could feel it pulsing to get free as Rahl tortured her. Though I’m not really sure how much of that was sympathy for her and how much was horror for Rahl’s methods. Even the creature that possessed me would have had trouble comparing to that.” O’Connell leaned against his brother, wrapping an arm protectively over his shoulder.

Ardeth shivered, still feeling the evil presence of Rahl in the air around them. “This Rahl is truly horrible—he must be destroyed as soon as possible. His very aura corrupts all around it.”

Richard smiled sadly, nodding in agreement. “He has no qualms about killing innocent people or of using then disposing of whomever he wants to gain more power. He has slaughtered entire villages just for giving me food and shelter for one night.”

Suddenly, a scream rent the air, a man somewhere in the tower crying out in terror. Rick looked towards the door of the cell, unnerved by the blood-curdling sound. “What was that?” he asked his eyes wide.”

“I believe that would be my curse starting to kick in.” Ardeth’s smile was not kind. “He has most likely just discovered that the dark is truly terrifying.”

Rick looked at Ardeth, his eyes just as wide for a second. But then he laughed, shaking his head. He could not bring himself to feel sorry for the man. Maybe he could have if he had not been trying to murder Ardeth when Rick had pushed him out of the way, but as it stood, O’Connell was satisfied with the results of his brother’s methods. “I am glad you didn’t kill him,” Rick said, nodding approvingly at his brother. He knew that if he had done that it would have changed him, and not for the better. “You’re right. No one should have to live with that.”

“How long will the protection spell on Richard last, my brother? Were your levels full?” Ardeth asked, as another scream and then hysterical yelling echoed through the air.

“It should last about as long as the last time,” Rick guessed. “I just hope your spell lasts as long.”

“It was a resistance spell?” Ardeth hid a yawn as the events of the day started catching up with him. He wasn’t going to be able to stay awake for much longer.

“Yeah,” Rick answered. “I didn’t have enough strength to cast the protection spell on you after I used it on Richard, but this should help some, I hope.” He closed his eyes as he rested his free hand on his brother’s wrist. Half asleep already, he assumed without thinking a posture he automatically used every time he and Ardeth were taken captive, one that allowed him to easily stand between his brother and danger at a moment’s notice, while still relaxed enough to allow for injuries Ardeth had not to be aggravated by his touch.

Richard laughed quietly as he watched the boys. “Both of you, go to sleep. I will keep watch for now since I have the protection spell on me.” The boys gave in without an argument, too exhausted to protest this arrangement at all.

~

Captain Zane walked through the forests east of the castle, checking over his shoulder periodically to ensure he wasn’t being followed. A week ago, he would have called himself insane for even attempting something of this nature, but after what he had witnessed happening to the Seeker and his friends along with anyone else unfortunate enough to fall into the Mord’Sith’s hands, he knew he could not stand idly by. Zane froze as he felt the blade of a knife slide suddenly up against his throat, raising his hands in surrender.

“Where is Richard?” a woman’s voice demanded of him. “What have you done with him and our friends?” Zane recognized the voice. It was the woman who had pretended to be Carver Dunn’s wife, the Confessor.

Moving slowly and cautiously, the man lifted his hands to show them that he was unarmed. “The Seeker and the two boys with him are in the tower, prisoners of the Mord’Sith,” Zane told her, not resisting at all as she pushed him against a tree.

“How many Mord’Sith are there in the fortress? How many D’harans?” Kahlan pressed as she pinned him against the trunk. As he hit the tree, he had stepped back into some moonlight just enough for her to see his face. Her eyes widened. “You!” she breathed, not sure if this was a good thing or a bad thing. Richard had let him live once before and was certain that he could be trusted. But Kahlan was less certain. She watched his every move like a hawk, ready to confess him the instant he so much as twitched the wrong way.

Zane dipped his head in acknowledgement of her recognition. “When I left there were only two Mord’Sith. There is a full contingent of soldiers—almost fifty. Thus far, the Seeker has been spared the agiel—the spell on him has seen to that.” Zane fixed his eyes on Kahlan, lifting his chin a little. “I have already given the Seeker my pledge to do what I can to free him and his young companions.”

Kahlan looked deeply into his eyes, using her confessor’s power to see through to his heart. He was telling the truth. She nodded slowly, relieved, and pulled her dagger away from his throat. “Richard was right about you,” she breathed as she stepped back allowing him to stand instead of being held awkwardly against the trunk. “Is there a way we can get in there to get them out? Or is it possible that you can help them make their way out to us?”

The man ran a hand through his hair, very relieved that he wasn’t about to die or be confessed. “I already tried to arrange an escape, but a patrol returned early and found them. The taller boy was killed, but Lady Denna used the Breath of Life on him. As I was leaving, I received word that Lord Rahl himself was going to come, but I don’t know when. He could already be here.”

Kahlan’s expression darkened at this news. “This is not good,” she sighed. Zed approached, his eyes questioning at the sight of the D’haran captain. “He’s a friend,” Kahlan said quickly and explained the situation to the wizard. “How are we going to get them out now? Darken Rahl is coming and he has all three Seekers in his possession. He won’t waste anytime trying to break them and force them to swear their allegiance to him. I know they won’t give in, but we cannot let them suffer through that.”

“Whatever magic spell is on them seems to be effective, but it would be better if it was on the black-haired boy as well. Denna spent quite a while with him earlier, and I do not know how much longer he will be able to hold out against her,” Zane said, glancing over at Zed. “Can you work your magic from a distance, wizard?”

“I can, but any magic I use, the Mord’Sith could turn back against us. My spells would be twisted by the enemy to harm Richard and the boys instead of saving them.”

“But they can’t seem to use the boys’ magic against them,” Kahlan murmured thoughtfully. “They might not even know the boys have magic. What if they think that you’ve just found a few spells they can’t harness?”

Zane shook his head, now thoroughly confused. “Wait, you mean that it wasn’t your magic spell that kept the Mord’Sith from touching the Seeker and one of the boys?”

“No,” Zed said shaking his head. “My magic would not be able to help them.” He stepped closer to Zane, a look of hope growing on his face. “You mean they believe it was my magic protecting them?”

“Yes, Denna was very frustrated with the spell keeping them safe since she couldn’t find a way around it,” Zane told them. “So it was one of them casting the spell?”

“It must have been,” he answered, deep in thought.

“Wait a minute,” Kahlan stammered shaking her head. “I thought you said that Denna managed to kill one of them when you tried to help them escape,” she said confused.

The soldier nodded. “Yes, the older boy was killed by an arrow. Denna revived him, although I think it was almost self-preservation. The black-haired boy’s fury when his friend was killed was . . . very alarming.”

Zed looked at Kahlan. “This may work to our advantage. They believe my magic cannot be reflected back at us any more. We may be able to play a bluff to get them out. But we would have to coordinate our plans with the boys on the inside. No doubt they’re going to be drained from protecting each other. They will need time to recover their energy levels.”

Kahlan stared in dismay at the wizard. “How can we leave them to Denna and Rahl for that long? You know what they’re going to do to them the second the spell wears off, what they’re already doing to whichever one of them isn’t protected right now!”

“I know that this isn’t the best option, but I cannot think of another way to get them out!” Zed said, frustration coloring his voice.

“How long would it take for their energy levels to recover?” Zane asked. “When I go back I’m going to need to give them specifics on when they should move.”

“It’s going to be at least twenty four hours before they will be back to full strength again. After that we can ‘lay siege’ to the fortress, distracting Denna and her forces while you help to get the boys out of there. That way when the boys cast the spells they will think that we are responsible.”

“If Lord Rahl is in attendance, I do not believe that any plan will succeed—but he is often called away to different locations,” Zane warned them.

Zed groaned, shaking his head, loathing what this meant. But they had no choice. He raised his eyes to meet Zane’s again with a heavy sigh. “Then we must wait to enact this plan once Darken Rahl leaves the prisoners in Denna’s care again.”

Kahlan shook her head emphatically. “But we can’t risk it!” she protested. “What if he doesn’t leave them with Denna? What if he takes them with him? And what if they can’t last that long?”

“You think I want to leave Richard in the hands of ht monster?!” the old man demanded. “He’s my grandson!”

Swallowing hard, Zane took his life in his hands and stepped between the Seeker’s powerful companions. “I do not think that Lord Rahl will move them—none of his other fortresses are near here or as secure as this, and he cannot take all three of them on his mystical traveling pathways.”

Kahlan considered this for a moment, her expression troubled.

“There is no other way,” Zed said sadly.

At length, Kahlan nodded her agreement. She turned her gaze in the direction of the tower, unable to see it for the dense grove of trees they were hidden in, but she looked that way all the same. “May the spirits protect them.” She whispered, frustrated at her own helplessness to save the Seekers.

“I will tell them all of this,” Zane promised, pulling his cloak tighter around his shoulders. “I must return before they miss me. If I can, I will slip out again tomorrow evening and give you any information I have.”

Zed and Kahlan thanked him for his help before disappearing back into the shadows of the forest. With that, Zane headed back to the keep, careful not to let anyone catch the manner and the route of his return.


	10. Chapter 10

As Zane got back into the fortress, he started to return to his quarters only to pause when a pair of gossiping guards passed near him. The conversation he overheard was chilling—Darken Rahl was present in the keep. The captain waited only long enough to hear that the Seekers were again magically protected and in their cell before hurrying off. He needed to check on them and make certain that none of the Seekers were injured too badly.

Zane approached the cell door, nodding casually to the guards posted outside. They stepped aside for him without hesitation. The D’harans were often encouraged by their superior officers to taunt their prisoners in order to help break them down psychologically, and they assumed that this was Zane’s purpose in visiting the cell now. Zane allowed them to continue on this presumption, smiling darkly at them as they opened the door to allow him entrance into the cell, and holding this face until the door was slammed closed behind him.

He found himself staring down at Richard. The younger man was sitting so that he had a nearly perfect view through the flap on the bottom of the door if anyone approached the cell. Behind Richard, Rick and Ardeth were huddled together in the corner.

Zane looked at them closely, glad to see that they were no more injured than the last time he had seen them. “Thank the spirits you are safe,” he breathed quietly as he stepped closer to them and crouched so he was eye level with Richard. “I’d heard Lord Rahl has arrived.”

“Rick put another protection spell on me, and a spell on Ardeth too,” Richard said, relaxing against the stone wall. “Rahl tortured Denna for a while since he thought she had given him false information. Then he had us thrown in here.”

Zane nodded grimly. He glanced over at the boys for a moment, then turned back to Richard. “I met your friends in the woods,” he said, quickly explaining the plan to the Seeker.

Richard nodded. “I will be ready. Would you mind seeing if Rick or Ardeth is awake to tell? Every time I move, I’m afraid that I’ll scare them awake.”

Zane nodded, looking back over at the boys sympathetically. He moved over to their side and stared at them in the dim light. Their faces seemed so much younger and so unguarded as they slept. This was partly due to how exhausted they had both been as they had fallen asleep that their defenses were down. At this moment, Rick and Ardeth, sleeping in each other’s arms, reminded him of his own children, especially his son Tanner. He gazed down at them, gently brushing strands of hair out of their faces without thinking.

Ardeth stirred a little at the touch and pulled Rick closer, then woke up completely. “Rick?” the boy whispered, and rested a hand on the older boy’s forehead. Frowning, the black-haired boy wrapped his arms tighter around Rick’s form.

The boy looked up at Zane, but didn’t really seem to recognize or focus on the man. “Rick is so cold—my brother lost far too much blood, and his body was severely traumatized by being killed and then brought back. But I drained my magic levels completely healing him earlier, and now I can’t even find the strength to cast a minor heating charm to keep him warm.”

Zane rested a hand on the boy’s shoulder, smiling warmly at him, touched by Ardeth’s heart. He then unhooked his cloak from its catches to his armor and wrapped it tightly around both Ardeth and Rick , tucking it in around their bodies so that no breeze would penetrate and chill them, much like he had done for his own children when putting them to bed at night. “There,” he said gently. “He will not be cold now nor will you.” He smiled as he brushed the boy’s hair again, smoothing it back. “Now, get some sleep, son, and sleep well.” The boys were both too tired to process the news of his meeting with Kahlan and Zed; he would tell them over their morning rations. Now, they both needed to rest.

“Peaceful dreams, Father,” Ardeth whispered, the warmth from the cloak lulling him back into his exhausted sleep.

Zane froze at Ardeth’s words, his eyes glistening with tears. If these had been his sons, he would have gone straight to Lord Rahl’s chambers and attempted to kill the man himself. It was brought home to him in this moment how evil Darken Rahl would have to be to do this to any man’s sons, let alone trained soldiers. “Peaceful dreams, Ardeth,” he murmured, his voice wavering slightly. He looked over at Richard. “I will not rest until you are all safely out of here,” he promised.

Richard smiled. “Thank you, but please, be very careful. You have to get home to your own family. After all, I did promise your wife.”

Zane nodded, clasping Richard’s arm. “I must go,” he whispered. “I will try to bring you some food in the morning. I fear I cannot return tonight or they will suspect me. If the guards come before I do, hide the cloak in this crevice,” he said indicating a small nook in the rock wall that was carefully out of sight of the door.

Richard nodded. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it. Thank you for helping the boys. Be careful,” As Zane left the room, Richard pretended to cringe away from him so that the guards wouldn’t suspect anything.

The night passed slowly as the Seeker kept watch, but they were not disturbed for the rest of the night except for the occasional screams of the archer echoing through the tower as he slowly sank into madness.

Not long after dawn, Ardeth woke up. It took him a minute to realize that they were still prisoners. He was holding Rick close to his side and both of them were wrapped in a heavy cloak. Frowning at the cloak, the boy wondered where it had come from. He vaguely remembered a dream of his father coming and casting a heat spell for him since he was so drained, but that didn’t make sense.

Richard looked over and saw Ardeth awake. “Morning,” he said with a smile. “Feel better?”

“Much better—my levels are finally coming back up a little. Did you rest at all? And where did this cloak come from?” Ardeth asked, slipping out from under the heavy cloth and tucking Rick back in,

Richard smiled. “When Zane saw you were cold last night, he gave you his cloak to help keep you and Rick warm. I think he was worried about you.”

“Zane was in here last night? I do not remember that. All I remember is a dream about Father,” Ardeth said, scrubbing a hand over his face.

“You did call him ‘father’ at one point,” Richard said. “I think you reminded him of his son Tanner.”

Rick turned over in his sleep, pulling the cloak with him, wincing as he shifted the muscles in his chest a little too much. His eyes opened slowly as this brought him more awake. Then he began to flail when he couldn’t feel Ardeth immediately, casting about in momentary panic.

Ardeth sent a wave of calm and comfort through the bond even as he hurried over to Rick’s side. “I am here, my brother. Be still; you will aggravate your injury.”

As soon as Rick locked eyes with his brother, he began to calm down. He breathed a sigh of relief, having been convinced that Denna or Rahl had come and taken Ardeth away while he slept. But his muscles began to relax and his heart rate to returned to normal. He grasped his brother’s arm for reassurance but settled down, satisfied that he was alright. “Thank goodness,” he sighed heavily as he lay back down slowly. Then smiling up at his brother, he spoke, “How you feeling this morning?”

“A great deal better than last night. How are you feeling?” Ardeth asked, settling down next to Rick. “Did you reopen your chest wound just now or did you manage to avoid that this time?”

Rick grimaced slightly as he leaned back. I think I aggravated it a little but not too bad. I’ll be fine,” he assured Ardeth, glad to know that his brother was feeling better. Then he seemed to notice the D’haran cloak wrapped around him for the first time, and stared at it, a puzzled expression on his face.

Ardeth shrugged. “Apparently, Zane visited sometime during the night, and gave us his cloak to keep us warm. I do not remember it at all.”

Rick looked up at his brother and the Seeker, eyes wide. While he knew that Zane at least had questions about who he had pledged his loyalties to, he had not expected such an act of kindness from any of the enemy soldiers, no matter their doubts. He looked down, deep in thought. Maybe Richard was right; the man did seem trustworthy, especially after everything he had risked to help them. “We can’t let the guards see this, or they’ll know he’s helping us,” Rick said quietly, thought he was still cold and hated to leave its warmth just yet.

“Leave it on for now—I’ll warn you if anyone is coming. There’s a crack in the wall right there where you can put it and no one will notice it,” Richard said.

Rick smiled, pulling the cloak tightly around him, glad for this solution. He moved closer to his brother, wrapping it around him as well. “So, was Zane able to find Zed and Kahlan last night?” he asked, holding in a sigh as his stomach growled.

Richard grinned. “Yes, he was. Although he didn’t say it, I think they threatened him. But he managed to convince them that he was on our side, and once Rahl leaves, they are fairly certain they can get us out.

Rick nodded then sighed. “That’s good to hear. Now the only thing we need to figure out is when Darken Rahl will leave.” He gazed at the floor, trying to think of something. “Is there something we could do or arrange to make him leave? Or are we just going to have to wait?” he wondered out loud. He was hoping it was something they could arrange because he did not want what Rahl did to Denna the night before to happen to any of them, though he knew in the back of his mind that they would probably not be able to escape it once the protections wore off.

“We can’t exactly arrange anything while we’re trapped in here,” Richard pointed out, taking up his post near the door again. “And we can’t ask Zane to do much—he has a family with young children to provide for and to protect.”

Rick nodded in agreement. “Well as long as the protection spells are in place, we should do okay—” But at that moment, they heard footsteps approaching. O’Connell quickly shed the cloak and tucked it away in the crevice, careful not to leave any of it visible.

A second later, the cell door burst open, and Rahl strode smugly into the room. Apparently feeling much better this morning, Rahl pointed to Richard. “ Bring him,” he ordered the guards following him, then left the cell after a hard glare at the two boys. Ardeth tilted his chin up and met Rahl glare for glare.

Rick did the same. Once Rahl had gone, O’Connell had to make an effort to keep from laughing. Any attempts to torture Richard would have the same effects as his last attempt. “Notice how he doesn’t seem to want any witnesses in case he messes up his robes again?” Rick chuckled, quirking an eyebrow deviously. Though he was infinitely glad Rahl hadn’t taken Ardeth.

Ardeth grinned back. “I did notice that. I am hoping he does not try to question you for many hours—it is going to take me several hours to recover even enough to cast a resistance spell on you.”

Rick looked seriously at his brother, but didn’t say anything. After seeing what Rahl was capable of, he wasn’t looking forward to being questioned, but he didn’t care so long as Ardeth was safe. Though he knew this would be of no comfort to his brother. “It will be alright,” he said at length, “no matter what happens. If they come for either of us, the bond will keep us strong as long as we’re there for each other.” He clasped his twin’s arm. Then with a wry grin, he commented, “We should have a while at least. From that cocky grin on his face, he obviously feels like he has an ace up his sleeve.”

The younger boy shrugged. “I am certain he thinks he has found a way around the protection spell. But he has never encountered Med-jai magic before, I am certain. In any case, I am keeping the training bond open, and if we need to, you and I can step in to help Richard.”

Rick nodded, pulling himself gingerly into a sitting position. A few minutes later, the cell door opened and Zane stepped in bringing the morning rations.

Once the door was closed, Ardeth retrieved Zane’s cloak and handed it to him. “Thank you for lending it to us. It helped a great deal.”

Zane smiled back at the prince. “Glad I could be of some help,” he answered as he set the plates down in front of the boys and took the cloak from Ardeth.

Rick leaned forward, taking one of the plates gratefully. “And thank you for breakfast,” he said to the captain.

Zane chuckled at how quickly the boys began eating . But then his expression turned grave as he noticed Richard’s absence. “Where’s Cypher?”

“Rahl just came and took him. The protection spell should still be in effect for another day, but I am using magic to keep an eye on Richard as well,” Ardeth said, setting aside some food for Richard.

Zane released a sigh of relief as he knelt next to Rick and Ardeth. “I just hope that he doesn’t find out that it’s not your wizard’s magic protecting him, or he will not rest until he has harnessed or destroyed your power,” he warned gently.

Ardeth’s grin was not kind. “I almost wish he would try. Our magic is such that only Med-jai—or Seekers—can us it. If he tries to twist it, the consequences to himself would be dire.”

Rick laughed around a mouthful of the bread they had been brought. “I just want to be there to see the results when he tries to pick up your scimitar,” he joked with a mischievous smile. “I wonder how they got it into the display case at all without losing a few limbs.”

“I do not know—Beset may have been biding her time. Did you notice her vibrating whenever Rahl got too close to her last night?” Ardeth shook his head. “I believe Beset has forgiven me, finally, for holding Richard’s sword. She figures she gets to punish me but nobody else is allowed too.

“She should have forgiven you considering the week you’ve had so far,” Rick scoffed, and then laughed slightly at the confused look on Captain Zane’s face. “My twin’s sword has a bit of a possessive, overprotective personality,” he explained.

Zane continued to stare at them. “Wait, you two are twins? And you have a magic sword?” the man asked trying to figure this out.

Rick’s smile widened as he put his now empty plate down and took a swig of the water before handing the flask over to his brother. He stifled a grunt of pain from moving his damaged muscles, managing to ignore the annoying ache as he stretched his legs slightly. “Yeah we’re actually twins, even though we look nothing alike and didn’t actually meet until we were fourteen,” he said, snickering at the captain’s expression.

Ardeth rolled his eyes at Rick. “Please ignore my brother—I have been working on improving his manners for the last two years, and It has not worked thus far. Yes, Rick and I are twins—I have the reborn soul of his twin brother who died at birth.”

The bewildered look on Zane’s face cleared only slightly. “How could such a thing have occurred?”

“It is not unheard of among my people. If a soul dies before it has fulfilled its purpose, often it will return. For Rick and I, it is slightly complicated. Though we are twins, he is ten months older than I am.” Ardeth paused at that, counting the days they had been here. “Actually, my brother, it will be your birthday in just a few days.”

Rick paused, looking at his brother as he counted the days in his head. “Oh man,” he gasped in surprise, “you’re right! I had totally forgotten.” He smiled with amusement. “And Dad said I’d never live to see that day.”

“Father may yet be proved right, but we will do our best to prove him wrong. Uncle Terrance bet me a week of food lessons for the Cousins that you wouldn’t survive to seventeen,” Ardeth said grinning. “We will have to tell him all about the times you died after he’s fulfilled his end of the bargain.”

Rick snickered at this. “Yes, timing will be key in that, though I hope I have only one death experience to report.” His smile faded as he massaged the area around the wound in his chest gently. He looked over at Ardeth after a moment. “What was it like when you died,” he asked in a hushed voice, more than a little hesitant to ask. The memory of being the survivor was painful enough.

Zane sensing that this was a private moment, slipped out of the cell. Ardeth shivered at Rick’s question, and gave his twin a sad smile. “I do not remember much of it—I was only dead for a few seconds, I believe.”

Rick nodded and said nothing more. He could tell it was an uncomfortable subject for Ardeth and didn’t want to press him. He scooted closer to his twin, trying to reassure him with his presence. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “I didn’t mean to pain you with the memory.”

‘Come into my mind, and I will show you what there is,’ Ardeth said, switching to the bond when they heard a patrol go by their cell.

Rick closed his eyes focusing on the connection between them, allowing him to cross over into his brother’s consciousness. The familiarity of Ardeth’s mind was a welcome sensation as opposed to the cold, damp environment of the cell.

Ardeth was already settled on his bed, arms wrapped around his knees. He was staring down an unfamiliar storage box. The younger boy gestured to it. ‘It is in there.’

Rick approached cautiously, stopping as he stood in front of the box. He looked down at his brother, brow furrowed. ‘Are you sure about this? We don’t have to go there if you don’t want to, Ardeth.’

The younger boy gave him a slight smile. ‘I am not going in there, my brother. If you want to see that memory, I am afraid you must go alone.’

Rick nodded in understanding. Taking a deep breath, he slowly opened the box and reached inside, connecting to the memory. The pain of Ardeth’s death flowed through him as the staff blast burned his back. Then darkness claimed his senses, a cold, clammy void that began to suffocate him. Rick’s eyes were wide, his heart racing as he pulled back, his own experience to near for him to revisit it. He shook his head, trying to calm himself, knowing he had been foolish to explore this too soon. But even the feeling of death was nothing compared to the reminder of the gaping maw left in place of the bond that had severed between them even for a short period of time. It took a while to still his trembling. “Okay,” he breathed at length, “not a good idea.”

Then Ardeth was beside him pulling him away from the box and onto the balcony. Out in the warm sunlight , he wrapped his arms around Rick and held him close, letting the sound of their hearts beating in unison soothe them.

Rick held onto his brother, drinking in his presence as he let his embrace reassure his physical senses that he was alive. They stood this way for a long while, each needing to know that the other was still there. ‘My brother,’ Rick said in Arabic, tightening his grip momentarily on the prince.

‘Brother of my soul,’ Ardeth answered with alight smile. ‘I believe we should leave those memories alone for a while. Have I ever showed you the memory of when the Cousins put a bounty on my head, and a poor guards new to the city won it?’

Rick smiled, raising an eyebrow curiously. ‘No I don’t think you have,’ he replied. They began to explore pleasant memories, helping to divert their attention from their unpleasant situation, but they were so lost to their bond, that they didn’t realize it when Rahl and his men returned. They threw Richard into the cell, his body slamming into Rick’s, shaking him out of the bond communication he had been sharing with Ardeth. Richard was unharmed, but his boot had smacked Rick’s jaw and busted his lip. He tried to recover quickly, drawing all of his attention to what was going on in the cell.

Ardeth was already aware and untangling Rick and Richard. Rahl was staring at the three of them, eyes glittering with an intense, almost maniacal gleam. Apparently, his nerves had not been spared by the protection spell. “Bring him!” Rahl snarled, pointing to Rick and then storming off himself.

Rick swallowed hard, but didn’t have much strength to resist the guards. ‘Save your strength while I’m gone,’ he called out to Ardeth through their bond. ‘Once he’s done with me, he’ll probably be after you next.’ He held his chin high, keeping on a brave face for his brother.

The prince watched him until the cell door slammed closed, and then flung the bond wide open. ‘If you try to close the bond, when I get home, I will drug you and have Hessa put “I was stupid” in your year-end tattoos,’ Ardeth warned, after realizing that his magic levels were too low to do much.

‘Then I believe you already have one of those coming yourself,’ Rick teased back. Though he knew he couldn’t do that to Ardeth. As much as he might wish to shield his brother from the pain, he knew he could not especially after he had made his twin promise never to do that to him again. Besides, he knew he was going to need all the help he could get. The only reason he was able to even walk behind Rahl under his own power was because of the sleep and the meager breakfast he’d had. Aside from that, he was still recovering his strength.

Ardeth pulled back from the bond for a moment to check on Richard. “Are you alright? Did you have any problems with Rahl?” Ardeth asked, checking the Seeker over to make certain there were no new injuries on the man.

Richard shook his head, smiling slightly. “He tried several times to attack me, but your spell works very well.”

“Good. I am going to use the bond to shield Rick’s mind as best I can. Our training bond is open, so please use that if anyone comes.” Not waiting for an answer, Ardeth latched onto the bond with Rick and slid into his brother’s mind just as they got to the torture chamber,

Rick felt his brother’s presence enter his mind, but gave no outward sign of the relief this brought him. He watched Rahl moving about the room as his guards chained him above the pit. He groaned slightly as they let his weight fall taught against his arms in the manacles, pulling harshly against the wound in his chest.

Rahl stalked over, his long red robes flowing around him. Gently he tapped the agiel against Rick’s arm. At the boy’s pained cry and the lack of energy throwing him across the room, the man smirked.

“You could spare yourself a great deal of pain if you cooperate with me, boy,” Rahl offered as he circled Rick trailing the agiel over the sensitive skin just under Rick’s exposed ribs.

Rick struggled to hold in his cries of pain as the waves of magic caused already strained muscles to constrict acutely. “I would rather die,” he answered between gasps for breath, looking down gravely at the tyrant.

Rahl’s jaw clenched. “I will make certain you have that opportunity!” He pulled the agiel away and stood still for a moment, watching Rick breathe, then thrust it against the muscle in Rick’s thigh.

Rick gasped at the sudden attack, but then closed his mouth locking it tight, not wanting to give Rahl the satisfaction of hearing him cry out anymore than he could help.

‘Breathe deep, Rick. Keep your pattern of breathing steady, and don’t clench your jaw. You don’t want any cracked teeth—the spell to fix them isn’t much fun.

Rick chuckled slightly at this, letting his breath go. Rahl however was not pleased to see this response from his captive. Furious, he held the agiel against the hole the arrow had punched into O’Connell’s chest, circling the raw edge as slowly as he could. Rick’s eyes went wide as pain he’d never known before began to overwhelm every nerve in his chest, and spreading outward like a pulsing wave. He could not hold in the scream this action tore from him.

Ardeth wrapped invisible arms around Rick’s mind, throwing up a mental barrier between the pain Rick was experiencing and his mind. ‘Focus, Rick! Focus on me, don’t let the pain pull you away. I have you, just stay with me.”

Rick clung to his brother, concentrating with everything that he was on Ardeth, using his brother’s presence to escape the agony Rahl was subjecting him to. Ardeth’s barrier helped to allow him to focus on him a little more easily. Though once the D’haran pulled the agiel away from O’Connell, the boy went completely limp, not able to exert himself to lift his head at the moment.

“Never doubt that my threats are real, boy,” Rahl said after pulling Rick’s head up by his hair. The tyrant’s eyes were dark with anger, and he cuffed Rick’s ear with his free hand.

Rick kept his mouth closed, knowing anything he said in response would only provoke Rahl further, and he was not eager to repeat the experience Rahl had just put him through. He did glare at the dark lord though when he passed in his line of sight as he paced around O’Connell. “I’m not going to give you anything,” he said once he had his breath back.

“Oh, if nothing else, you will give me a great deal of entertainment,” Rahl said pausing next to the weapons display case to study what was in there. “I have never broken a Seeker before—this will be an excellent experiment.”

Rick’s eyes narrowed. “Keep dreaming, Rahl. Your entertainment is going to be very hard to come by. I am no one’s toy. And even if you do break me, I won’t betray the Seeker or our mission.” Rick smiled slightly for a moment as he looked at the D’haran. “I’m sure you were worried before when you thought there was only one man to oppose you. Imagine your panic when you discover there were three of us committed to kicking your butt.” He chuckled slyly. “I don’t suppose you sleep well at night, do you, knowing how your days are numbered?”

‘Smooth, Rick, real smooth,’ Ardeth commented, rolling his eyes and shielding Rick’s mind again as Rahl traced Rick’s collar bone with the agiel.

‘He’s going to torture me anyways,’ Rick pointed out. ‘I might as well see if I can find a few chinks in his armor.’ O’Connell stifled a cry at the magic weapon running so close to his neck, his breath coming quickly at the pain.

After nearly a full minute, Rahl finally pulled the agiel away. He smirked at Rick. “I have all day long to do this—I hope you have no other obligations today.” He gently brushed the agiel against Rick’s left cheekbone.

“Actually, today’s not good for me,” Rick ground out. “You think we could postpone this? Till next year, say? My schedule till then is all filled up.”

“Did your parents never teach you to show respect to those in authority over you?” Apparently frustrated with the lack of effect from the agiel, Rahl went over to the supplies case and set it aside.

Rick breathed deeply, taking advantage of the momentary break this gave him. “Yeah, well, when I see someone with actual authority, I’ll be sure to show some respect.”

Rahl clasped his hands behind his back as he studied the contents of the case. He was attempting to hold on to his calm visage, but he was growing frustrated with Rick.

The young Med-jai closed his eyes and let himself hang, trying to gather his strength. But once he heard Rahl’s steps approaching, he opened his eyes again only to see the man stalking towards him, a vial filled with strange liquid in his hand. Whatever it was, it couldn’t be a good thing for him. He eyed it cautiously.

Not giving him a chance to refuse or fight back, Rahl grabbed a fistful of his hair and forced Rick’s head back. He dumped the vile-tasting liquid into Rick’s mouth and then held Rick’s mouth and nose shut so that he couldn’t breathe until he swallowed.

‘Just swallow it, Rick! I’ll work on neutralizing it while you find out what it is supposed to do. If you can pretend its affecting you, he’ll leave you alone for a while.’

‘Easy for you to say; you haven’t tasted this stuff yet,’ he joked grimly. But he swallowed it, nearly gagging on the taste. ‘I’m going to have flashbacks of our cousins now.’ Rick’s stomach began to turn immediately with the effects of the poison, and he felt it starting to sap what little strength he had. His world began to spin and his heart began to pound. ‘It’s a poison of some kind. Probably to help him break stubborn prisoners,’ he told Ardeth as his nausea worsened.

‘Hold on,’ Ardeth said. Seconds later, the soothing, cool wave of the poison neutralizing spell washed through Rick, almost completely removing the effects. ‘There you go. Just pretend it’s still working.’

‘Thanks, buddy.’ Rick let his head drop forward, a dazed and exhausted expression on his face, groaning occasionally as if he might throw up at any moment. He almost wished he could so he could aim for Rahl, but since the thought of this almost made him laugh aloud, he forced these thoughts out of his mind, keeping up the act.

After one particularly loan groan, Rahl moved so that he was behind Rick and whispering in his ear. “The poison I gave you is not lethal, although by the time it has run its course, I am certain you will wish it was lethal. This is just a taste of what I am capable of doing to you and your friend.”

“You—” Rick allowed his insult to be drowned out by another groan as his eyes closed heavily.

“I have the antidote right here,” Rahl dangled a small crystal vial in front of Rick’s face. “I will let you have it if you answer my questions truthfully.”

Rick looked at it for a second as if longingly, then steeling himself, turned his face away with determination. “I’m not answering any of your questions, Rahl.”

Rahl put the vial into a pocket, then slapped the back of Rick’s head. If the poison hadn’t been neutralized, the blow would have been devastating.

Rick let himself cry out slightly, then grimaced as he shut his eyes tightly, as if trying to fight the dizziness and the nausea, which were almost nonexistent now thanks to Ardeth.

He could feel Ardeth’s amusement. ‘Your acting has greatly improved, my brother,’

‘Thank you,’ Rick laughed inwardly. ‘Next time we should try this on the cousins and see how they react.’

‘I like that idea. Maybe we can arrange a prank so that it appears that their cooking actually poisoned and killed someone. We would have to get at least Father and Amir in on it, though.’

‘I don’t think it would take too much convincing. I mean it’s a matter of public health.’

Ardeth laughed. ‘This is true. We will have to plan more for this prank later, my brother.’

“Is he alright?” Richard asked Ardeth, concerned for Rick since he knew the boy had no protection.

“So far he is fine,” Ardeth said, keeping half of his attention on the bond so that he would know if Rick needed any help. “I am shielding his mind from the worst of the agiel pain. When he gets back, I will heal him as best I can. Rahl is getting desperate for answers, I think—he just gave Rick a non-lethal poison. I neutralized the poison, and Rick is practicing his acting to keep Rahl from realizing what happened.”

Cypher breathed a sigh of relief that he was doing better than he had anticipated with what Rahl had done to Denna the night before. “Let’s hope that luck holds and that Rahl tires of questioning him soon.”

“Yes. If I see any opportunities to use my magic to help get Rick out of there, I am taking it. I don’t want Rick near that madman any longer than necessary.”

Richard nodded his agreement. Then he stiffened as the sound of footsteps caught his ear. “Someone’s coming,” he whispered, turning his eyes to the door.

‘Rick, I’ll be right back someone is coming,’ Ardeth said sending a wave of strength through the bond before slipping back into reality.


	11. Chapter 11

The door to the cell opened and Denna stepped in with the rations for the prisoners. Richard had to contain his look of surprise, knowing that, if she caught him staring, it would anger her.

Ardeth accepted the food and water with a nod. “Thank you,” he said, setting aside Rick’s portion. His actions surprised Denna. She was used to people she had tortured flinching away.

Denna stared hard at the prince for a moment before moving to give Richard his rations. Richard accepted them gladly and looked over at her. “Are you feeling any better this morning?” he asked her with concern.

“Why do you care?” Denna demanded, glaring at him.

“You know I wouldn’t want you to suffer like that,” Richard answered seriously. “Even when you were torturing me the first time, I never wished that on you.”

The Mord’Sith shook her head. “I don’t understand you! I tortured you and broke you—you should hate me!”

“You may have hurt me and my friends, but we don’t hate people just because they hurt us. We know you used to be in the same position we are in now. You didn’t used to be like this. The pain, the anger, the hatred and fear. You don’t have to live like this. You don’t have to suffer any more. We don’t want you to suffer like this,” Richard said as he laid his hand gently on her arm, careful not to aggravate her bruised skin.

Denna backed away from him but didn’t lash out as she had been trained or run. “I am a Mord’Sith, one of the personal guards and assassins for Lord Rahl. There is nothing else for me to do, nowhere for me to go.”

“Yes there is,” Richard replied softly. “This doesn’t have to be all there is for you. You can have your life back again, be free from this endless nightmare.”

“Denna, it is possible for you to find peace,” Ardeth said, voice quiet enough that both Richard and Denna had to strain to hear him. “You know that we are Seekers—we see the truth in matters. In the center of your soul, I can see where you have hidden away your innocence and kept it safe.”

Denna felt hope tugging at her heart at their words but shook her head emphatically after a second. She couldn’t dare hope. Any time she had ever hoped for anything, she had been punished or disappointed. It had happened so consistently that she had locked it away and given up on hope. Besides, she was evil. For as long as she could remember, she had been told thus and everything she did only seemed to confirm it. “No,” she protested sadly. “No, you can’t save me. There is no hope for a monster like me.” A tear rolled down her cheek at the sorrow this statement brought to her. She desperately wanted to believe their words but was terrified to find out they were wrong.

Ardeth stood. “Richard, do you mind if I use some of your magic? My levels are too low to do the spells I have in mind.” He spoke out loud, sending Denna an unspoken message that he was trusting her with this information.

Both Richard’s and Denna’s eyes went wide at Ardeth’s statement, but Richard nodded readily enough. “How do I do that?”

Denna stared between the two, her watery eyes large with confusion and surprise. “You two have magic?” she murmured numbly. “So that’s how you escaped?” she guessed, her voice soft and subdued. “And how I couldn’t torture you and the older boy?” she said to Richard.

“Yes, that is why you could not touch Richard or Rick. My people, the Med-jai, have some training for magic users, which both Rick and I are.” Ardeth put his hand on Richard’s shoulder. “Just relax, Richard, and I will use the training bond to draw out the magic I need.”

“Why didn’t you just use that magic to kill me or protect yourself as well?” Denna asked puzzled at why he wouldn’t think of himself first before the life of an enemy.

“Med-jai means ‘Protector of Mankind.’ Very few of our spells are lethal or designed to cause harm—most of them are defensive and healing,” Ardeth said, raising his free hand to touch the marks on his face. He raised his hand and cast a spell on Denna using Richard’s magic. Most of her visible injuries faded like they had been healing for several days. “Please, come closer. I will show you a true monster who has no hope of changing.”

Denna barely heard Ardeth’s words as she gazed at her much healed body, feeling the difference and the soothing energy that relaxed her muscles. After a second she looked up at Ardeth , not sure how far she should trust him. But for a reason she didn’t herself, she did move closer to the sixteen-year-old boy, though half of her was afraid to trust anyone.

“I am going to show you a memory of a creature called Palpatine. You will feel the evil surrounding him.” Ardeth suppressed a shiver at the thought of the Sith. “This creature is truly a monster, and there is no hope for him. He was totally consumed by evil, which you are not. You are just a child doing what you were taught, obeying the authority figure in your life with a child’s obedience.

Denna felt Ardeth’s memory enter her mind as he placed his hand gently on her shoulder, and she gasped at the oppressive despair and endless darkness it brought with it. Never in her entire life had she ever known evil as deep and complete as this, even in Darken Rahl, though he came incredibly close. Instinctively, she began to crawl back in fear, sensing with the memory the kind of torment that Sidious had inflicted upon Rick and Ardeth. She looked up Ardeth, terror in her eyes. And something else as well. Regret. After a few moments of horrified silence, she murmured. “But I am that evil,” she breathed despair in her words. “What he did to you two was nothing compared to what I did to you…when your brother was killed…” she looked down at the floor unable to meet the prince’s gaze in her guilt.

With a flick of his wrist, Ardeth banished the memory back to where he kept it locked away. He dropped to his knees in front of Denna and considered her for a moment. “You took advantage of the pain the shattered bond caused me and the grief of seeing my twin die. You tortured us seeking information, but you never treated us with disrespect. You understand the value of life. The Creature I showed you? He committed unspeakable atrocities. Entire worlds were destroyed by him. He reveled in the evil and enjoyed every minute of it. I can feel how much you hate what you are forced to do.”

She looked up slowly to meet Ardeth’s gaze, tears falling from her eyes as she hardly dared to hope. “But how can you forgive me for the pain I caused you both? No one could possibly forgive that,” she said, her voice trembling, her eyes searching the boy’s.

“I have already forgiven you, Denna.” Ardeth held her gaze with his own, his black eyes intense. “I know you feel horrible, but you must not let your emotions control you. You will have to learn a new way to live, and it will not be easy, but you have great strength.”

Denna stared at Ardeth for a long while, stunned speechless. She could see in the boy’s eyes that he was not lying and found that no matter how she tried she couldn’t wrap her mind around it. She shook her head several times in wonder but still said nothing, unable to process what she was feeling, let alone put it into words, so foreign was it to her. At length she found her voice again. “I have to go,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. But it took a good while longer before she could tear her confused eyes away from Ardeth’s long enough for her to rise to her feet to go.

Once Denna was gone, Ardeth sank back against the wall, exhausted. “I think we broke through the programming and the mental blocks Rahl put in her mind. The decision to take action is all hers.”

Richard smiled warmly, slightly amused at Denna’s reaction to the prince. “She can’t conceive of forgiveness, she’s seen so little of it. I think that is the only thing that could break through to her.” He turned to face Ardeth directly. Thank you. I know that must not have been easy for you.”

The boy ran a hand through his hair. “Saving her and any future victims is well worth it. I need to go check on Rick—thank you for letting me use your magic.”

Richard nodded in understanding. “Anytime I can help you out,” he said gratefully.

Rick was resting lightly, keeping himself just aware of his surroundings to know if someone approached him while slipping into a light meditation to try and regain his strength from when Rahl had use the agiel on him.

Ardeth slipped back into Rick’s mind. “How are you, my brother? Any problems while I was gone?”

Rick awoke more fully to his brother’s call. ‘I’m alright. Trying to rest while Rahl’s letting his poison work its way into my system to get me to talk.’ He chuckled at the thought. ‘He’s gonna have a long wait.’ Then O’Connell paused with misgivings as he noticed he was alone. ‘Wait,’ he said, concerned. ‘’He’s not here.’ Rick cast about as much as he could from the limited vantage point his chained position gave him. ‘He must have slipped out of the room while I was asleep.’ His voice became urgent. ‘Ardeth, be careful. He might be coming for you,’ he warned.

“Do not worry, I will be careful. Denna stopped by—Rahl is apparently humiliating her by forcing her to work in the kitchens. She delivered food for us.’ Ardeth told Rick, keeping alert enough to duck back into his body at the least noise. ‘I believe Richard and I managed to break through the programming and commands Rahl put on her. Now she has to decide on her own what she will do.’

Rick nodded. ‘That’s good news. Let’s just hope she decides before Rahl discovers she’s turned and has her executed.’

Hearing the door to the cell slam open, Ardeth sent a wave of reassurance to Rick and slid back to his body. He blinked up at Rahl—the tyrant was looking satisfied.

“I have been speaking with your friend and was most pleased to find that the same spell that seems to be protecting Richard here does not seem to be working for him,” he said, a cruel smile lighting up his eyes. “His screams were most gratifying to hear,” he mused trying to taunt his two prisoners.

“For every injury you have caused him, I will ensure that you pay the full penalty allowed by the law of my people,” Ardeth promised, meeting Rahl’s gaze without flinching. Even seated in a stone cell, wearing nothing but pants, the boy exuded a regal presence.

Rahl’s eyes narrowed, looking down at the boy with amusement. “You are not exactly in a position to make good on that threat. But if you wish, I can describe in detail every agony I gave him so that you may catalogue a full record for future reference.” The evil man’s smile was anything but pleasant as he seemed to recall Rick’s suffering with the fondness of a pleasurable pastime. “His contorted visage as he became well acquainted with the agiel, how he whimpered pathetically under its touch.”

“Stop.” Ardeth’s voice was cold and hard, but laden with enough authority to surprise Rahl into silence. The boy stood in one graceful movement and stalked forward. “Every word you say condemns your soul. Thus I warn you—continue down this path, and be destroyed.”

Rahl laughed at Ardeth’s words. “Well, I have tired of your friend’s pitiful begging. Such cowards are hardly a challenge and such a disappointing waste of my time. So I came to make you the offer of diverting my attention away from him for a time. If you refuse, I will have to return to interrogating him, and if he does not prove amusing or useful, he will not survive my disappointment. That or I will find a more diverting use for him and he will wish he hadn’t.” Rahl’s eyes gleamed wickedly as he looked at the prince. “Well, what say you?”

Ardeth met Rahl’s eyes, showing no expression, although he was furious. “I will go with you,” he said stepping forward and allowing the guards to chain him. His bearing made him look more majestic than Rahl as they stood facing each other.

“Very good,” Rahl purred as the guards secured him, trying to ignore the boy’s regal bearing. A boy who was a former slave should not seem to possess greater authority than his captor, especially one with such power as Darken Rahl. He would have to humble this upstart soon before the soldiers began to question his leadership. Grabbing the boy’s leash himself, he jerked it roughly to start the boy forward out of the cell.

Somehow, Ardeth kept his balance. After a frightened glance at Rahl’s face, the two guards started pushing the boy forward as fast as they could. They arrived in the torture chamber very quickly, and Ardeth’s eyes went even colder when he saw the agiel marks on Rick.

Rick stirred slightly as he sensed his brother’s presence. Careful to keep up the act so that Rahl would think he was weakened by the poison, he opened bleary eyes to look dazedly at the newcomers, but sent a wave of reassurance to Ardeth through their bond. ‘Hey buddy,’ he greeted him warmly. ‘How’s it going?’

‘So far, fine. I think I irritated him. How are you doing, my brother?’ Ardeth asked, ignoring the soldiers as they chained him in place.

‘I’m good. The only effects I’m feeling from the poison is a little dizziness every once in a while.’

Seeing his eyes fastened on Rick, Rahl gave a motion for the guards to stop in the process of securing him to the wall. Once they had, Rahl dragged Ardeth over to Rick, picking up an agiel lying nearby. He stepped aside slightly so that the prince could have a full view of his handiwork. “Your friend here was being most uncooperative, so I gave him a little poison to help convince him that resisting me was not in his best interest. So while I am questioning you, he is going to reconsider his position,” Rahl taunted Ardeth then turned to Rick and used the agiel to raise his chin, “won’t you?”

Rick flinched but bit down his cry of pain at the sudden attack, doing his best not to show any pain, but not entirely succeeding.

A sudden pained yelp from behind him caught Rahl’s attention. He whirled to find one of his soldiers on the ground, clutching his broken nose. The other had both arms on Ardeth and was fighting to keep his grip on the boy.

Rahl smiled pleased at the reaction, though he was not pleased that the prince had nearly gotten away from the guards. “You will settle down, or he’ll get worse than that,” the D’haran warned him, holding the agiel over O’Connell’s arrow wound, remembering with delight the amount of agony that had caused the boy.

Reluctantly, Ardeth stopped fighting, keeping his eyes on Rick. ‘Are you alright my brother?’

‘Yeah, I’m alright,’ he assured his brother, then chuckled ruefully. ‘Trying to resist the urge to kick him when his back is turned so that he falls onto the cache of those magic sticks right behind him. But I don’t think that would go well for either of us.”

“No, I don’t think that would be nice for either of us. But we can keep that in mind for later. Pretend that the poison is making you pass out again,’ Ardeth said, fighting hard to keep his face expressionless as he saw the agiel so close to Rick’s injury.

Rick let his eyes shut heavily and his head roll forward again. Once he saw that the prince was not fighting, Rahl pulled the agiel away from Rick. Then as he noticed the boy had passed out again, he rolled his eyes in disgust. “Weakling,” he spat as he set the agiel down. Then he grabbed Ardeth’s leash and began to lead him back over to where the guards had been about to chain him earlier on the other side of the room. “I truly hope for your sake that you do not prove as great a disappointment as your friend.”

“That would depend on your definition of disappointment,” Ardeth snapped, wincing a little as his sore shoulder was stretched to its limits by the chains.

Rahl gazed down at his captive haughtily. Once the guards had finished securing him, he stepped forward and grabbed the boy’s chin. “Ever since I first learned of the two new Seekers entering my dominion, I have been somewhat curious about them. One Seeker is rare enough in our lands, but three is unprecedented. You and your friend seem to have had a great deal more training than Richard has, which leads me to wonder where you come from.”

Ardeth considered his possible responses for a moment, then smirked. He was going to have fun with this. “We are from a distant land, one you have never heard of.”

Rahl sighed. “You do not want to play games with me, boy,” he warned as he stepped away, picked up another agiel, and moved back over towards Ardeth. Jabbing it hard into his side, he hissed, “Now tell me where you are from.”

Rick looked up at the pain that flowed through their bond, using some of the strength he had gathered to push healing through to Ardeth. He jerked at his chains in vain, unwilling to sit by while his brother was in pain.

‘I’ll be fine—he did not seem to like my answer to where we are from,’ Ardeth said, pushing back the pain so that it wasn’t hidden, but also not spilling through the bond.

‘Of course he didn’t. He wouldn’t know the truth if it bit him,’ Rick groaned in frustration. “He’s telling the truth,” he said trying to come to his brother’s aid.

“Do you truly think for one moment that I’m going to fall for your excuses?” Rahl challenged darkly as he removed the agiel from Ardeth’s side then traced it along the underside of the boys strained arms. “Tell me the land you come from,” he demanded. “If I truly haven’t heard of it than there can be no harm in telling me, now can there?”

‘He does have a point there—it would be amusing to see how long he would last if he somehow found his way back to our world,’ Ardeth said to Rick, then focused back on Rahl. “Very well. Our home is in the mighty desert, the Sahara.”

Rahl mulled the foreign name over in his mind for sometime, trying to recall if there were some point in time when he had hear of this strange land, but he could think of none. Pulling the agiel away, he grasped Ardeth’s chin firmly, searching the boy’s eyes. He seemed to be telling the truth. Finally, he smiled slightly with satisfaction since he seemed to be making progress. “Excellent,” he murmured as he stepped back to pace in front of the boy. And how is it that you came to be in the Midlands?” he asked. If he could figure out how they got here, then he might be able to find a way to cross the border between these lands and add a new kingdom to his conquests.

“You would like to know that, wouldn’t you?” Ardeth’s voice held the barest hint of mockery in it. ‘I do not think we should tell him how we got here—it would be best if he thinks we came here on purpose.’

“Yes, I would,” Rahl replied darkly as he placed the agiel at the base of his neck, trialing around and down dangerously close to the boy’s heart barely skirting the area that would stop it from beating. “And you are going to tell me.”

Rick pulled against his chains, calling out his brother’s name. “Leave him alone!”

“His suffering will end once he tells me what I want to know,” Rahl snapped, his eyes never leaving Ardeth’s face.

“I will not tell you that!” Ardeth spat, biting down hard on the inside of his cheek to keep from crying out at the pain from the agiel.

Rick struggled against his bonds, desperate to do something. Suddenly the wand Rahl was holding incinerated in his hand. The man dropped it more out of surprise than pain. Frozen in confusion, he looked down at the remains of the agiel for a moment. Then he turned to the cache to retrieve another one only to discover the charred remnants of the five other agiels that had been waiting to be used.

Rick gasped inwardly in surprise and dread. It had been a long time since his magic had acted without his control, at least without him having accidentally read a spell out loud anyways. He watched Rahl warily. They had been so careful to hide their magical abilities from him and now he feared he had just blown their secret.

Rahl turned back and glared at Ardeth, his anger barely contained. “Well it seems the magic that was protecting you yesterday hasn’t completely worn off yet,” he growled in frustration. “I guess I’m going to have to find some other way to loosen your tongue.” He stepped over to a case nearby filled with assorted tools and torture devices.

‘Are you all right?’ Ardeth asked, feeding Rick some of his energy to replace what he had just lost. ‘You didn’t burn your magic channels when you lost control, did you?’

Rick slumped slightly in his chains, feeling the drain even as his brother helped to restore some of it. ‘Only slightly more dizzy, but I’ll be okay. Are you alright?’ he asked, trying to feed healing through the bond but not having much to offer his brother.

‘I will be fine. Rest, my brother, please,’ Ardeth said, easily diverting the healing Rick sent into a spell to slowly replenish the older boy’s magic levels.

Just as Rahl started to pick something up from the case, the door slammed open, crashing into the wall. The archer Ardeth had cursed stood there eyes wild. Completely ignoring Rahl, he started towards Ardeth, grabbing a dagger from his belt.

Rahl, confused by this action, quickly grabbed the archer’s tunic and slammed the crazed man against the wall. “What do you think you are doing?” he asked, a warning in his tone. If the soldier had the presumption to try and kill Ardeth before the dark lord was through with him, he was gravely mistaken.

“Little brat, showing me things that aren’t real. . .” The archer dropped the dagger and screamed, clawing at his face. “The dead that aren’t dead! Everywhere, always killing, hunting!”

Rahl looked between the boy and the archer for a second in confusion before rolling his eyes. He didn’t have time for this. If the man’s mind wasn’t strong enough to endure the tasks he was called upon to do, then he had no further use for him. Taking the man’s dagger from where he dropped it on the floor, he rammed it upward into the archer’s heart. “I’m relieving you of duty,” he explained as the man’s confused, wide eyes turned to look at him, shocked at this sudden betrayal from his liege to whom he’d been faithful for all these years.

Ardeth watched the man fall, dead. ‘Well, my revenge is now complete on the man who murdered you, my brother.’

Ignoring the other guards that were scrambling to get rid of the archer’s body, Rahl returned to his case of torture implements.

Rick watched the guards carrying the body of the archer out, glad to know the man was gone and would no longer be a threat to them. He had panicked for a second when he had seen the man enter the room and rush towards his brother intent on killing him, and there had been nothing he could do to save him this time. Never in his life had he ever been so glad to see Rahl as he was to see him save Ardeth’s life, though he knew his motives were far from in there best interest and this would never occur again.

Rahl finally emerged from his study of the various devices in the case holding a needle aloft. Extracting a serum from a vial, he approached the prince, a devious smile on his face.

Ardeth looked from Rahl to the needle and frowned. “Absolutely not!” The needle and serum vial both shattered at the spell Ardeth sent at it.


	12. Chapter 12

Rahl gawked in shock as he looked between Ardeth and the remnants of the syringe and drug in his hands. Rick had looked up at his brother’s words and the sound of glass shattering. ‘What are you doing?’ he asked slowly. He couldn’t fault his brother, but the repercussions of this could eliminate any chance they had to escape, but mostly because he was worried what Darken Rahl would do to Ardeth now that he knew that he had magical powers.

“It was never the wizard’s magic that was protecting you,” Rahl surmised as his eyes narrowed in understanding. “It was yours. That is why it seemed to vanish and then reappear later on.” He stepped closer to the boy using one of the shards from the vial to cut into the soft flesh at Ardeth’s elbow.

‘Sorry, Rick, I just cannot bear to be drugged right now,’ Ardeth said, barely wincing at Rahl’s movements. “Yes, it was my magic. It took you this long to figure that out?”

Rahl sliced the glass deeper into Ardeth’s arm, incensed by the boy’s words. “Well, now that you have betrayed yourself, I can take the appropriate steps to rectify this,” he hissed as he got in the prince’s face. He placed a hand on the side of Ardeth’s face, trying to use his powers to burrow past the prince’s defenses and neutralize the boy’s ability to access magic.

Immediately the chamber around them disappeared and they both fell to the sand. The sky above them was a deep blue, and endless golden sand surrounded them on all sides. Scorching heat from the sun reflected off of the sand, threatening to burn them where they stood.

Ardeth turned to face Rahl. Here, in this new place, he was dressed in flowing black robes with flashing silver embroidery decorating them. There were no signs of any injuries on him, and he was armed. “Welcome to my mind, Darken Rahl.”

Glaring at the boy, the tyrant rose to his feet, brushing away the sand. “Clever trick boy. Your defenses are stronger than I thought,” he said trying to maintain his dignity and some semblance that he was still in control of the situation. “You may try and hide your powers from me but it is only a matter of time before I find them and harness them. You will be my slave Seeker, gladly using your power to serve me. And the first task I shall have you perform is to execute the other two Seekers, Richard and your friend. You will see them die at your own hands,” he sneered.

The boy laughed, sounding genuinely amused. “You should not make statements that you cannot follow through on, creature. I am Med-jai, and my very being is bound up in destroying evil such as you. And, in any case, my powers are not hidden. Once you understand and appreciate the desert, you will see my powers.

Rahl began to try to pull out of his mind, not liking the control this boy seemed to have, but he found he was unable to extricate himself from the desert. Several times he tried to pull himself free but to no avail.

Rick watched this exchange with fascination, both seeing and feeling the battle of wills as Darken Rahl found he could not break the locked gaze the two of them shared as Ardeth’s mind clamped onto his like a vice.

Ardeth brought up all of the tricks he knew in mind magic to keep Rahl trapped. A sand storm whipped through the air, throwing Rahl to the ground but swirling gently around Ardeth.

“This is most unwise,” Rahl warned Ardeth. “The second I break free of your mind, none will escape my wrath for your impudence.” He began to rail against the Med-jai’s barriers holding him hostage in Ardeth’s mind.

Flinching at the assault, Ardeth strengthened his shields as much as he could. To distract Rahl, he threw a short attack on the tyrant’s mind.

Rahl had to use more of an effort than he thought he would need to deflect the boy’s mental strike. Finally using all of his power and strength, he managed to burst free at last from Ardeth’s hold on him, but the backlash from the clash of magic catapulted him across the room, throwing him into the weapons display case. The D’haran soldiers rushed forward to help their lord to his feet. Livid, Rahl shoved them away and stood, his eyes smoldering as he glared at the prince.

“That will cost you, boy,” he breathed darkly. “Since most magic is performed with your hands, I will just have to remove them.” He stooped to pick up one of the fallen blades.

At hearing this, Rick began yelling furiously in protest, violently straining to get free. He would let no man harm his brother in this way.

Ardeth’s eyes widened as he saw what blade Rahl was reaching for. “Beset! Enemy approaching!” he yelled in Arabic, fighting against the chains holding him in place.

At Ardeth’s call, the ancient blade started humming as she drew her considerable magical reserves to herself in preparation to strike.

Rahl only barely suspected something in time to save his own hands, pulling them away just in time before the sword, as if with a life of its own, rose up and sliced out at the enemy hands reaching for her hilt. As the dark lord dove away from the animated scimitar, it followed after him, determined to protect her master from the creature. Darken Rahl jumped behind one of his men to avoid being impaled by the blade. The man he was hiding behind however was not so fortunate as to escape Beset’s fury. He dropped to the ground with the royal scimitar lodged deeply into his chest, dead before his corpse even hit the floor.

Both of the other soldiers in the room and Rahl stared at the blade, quivering and trapped in the body, in stunned horror. None of them had seen anything like that before. Finally Rahl turned to one of the soldiers. “Lock that blade up. I do not want to have it interfere again.”

As they timidly approached the sword, uncertain as to how they were going to secure it, they finally decided to leave it wedged in their comrade’s body and lock that away. As they carted the D’haran’s body out of the room, Rahl called out to them over his shoulder. “And bring me a Collar of Rada’Han.” Rahl stood unmoving, glowering at the Med-jai prince from where he stood, unwilling to risk getting near him again. He had underestimated the boy but he would not make that mistake again. One the men returned with a metal collar, Rahl motioned for them to fasten it around Ardeth’s neck.

Ardeth refused to flinch as the cold metal snapped around his neck, but his eyes widened as he felt his magic slip away from him. ‘Rick?’ he asked suddenly panicked that the collar might block the bond as well.

Rick heard the panic in Ardeth’s bond voice and responded immediately, worried about what the collar might have done to his brother. ‘I’m here,’ he said pushing reassurance through their twin link. ‘What is it? Are you alright?’

‘My magic—I cannot reach it!’ Drawing in a deep breath, Ardeth forced himself to calm down. ‘This collar—it’s blocking my magic. I was afraid for a moment that it might have cut off our bond as well.’

‘Thank goodness it hasn’t,’ Rick breathed as a shiver ran down his spine at the thought of the bond being broken again. ‘I’ll try and cover you magically, but my levels are really low so I don’t know how much I’ll be able to do,’ he said shaking his head in concern.

‘See if you can access my magic—maybe you can use it to replenish your own levels.’ Ardeth turned his attention back to Rahl. The tyrant was once again in control of himself, now that he knew the threat of Ardeth’s magic had been neutralized.

Rick nodded, reaching through the bond. He could reach Ardeth’s magic but with both of their levels depleted, he couldn’t restore much of his own.

Rahl stalked forward, grinning smugly. “You will not be able to protect yourself anymore or your friends.” He used a minor spell to send a sensation of fire racing through Ardeth’s body.

The boy caught by surprise, cried out. He bit his lip immediately, and lifted his chin, glaring at the man. “So you must take away any advantage I might have before you dare face me? You certainly are a coward!”

Rahl cast the spell again, stronger this time. “Call me what you will. But the fact remains that you are now powerless to resist me. I will not allow a couple whelps with some misguided sense of destiny to destroy the peace I have brought to this land.”

“From the little I have seen of this land, you have not brought peace to this land. You have brought slavery and despair.” Ardeth’s voice was firm and he met the eyes of the soldiers before focusing back on Rahl. “And a Med-jai is never powerless.”

At this, Rahl back-handed Ardeth viciously, refusing to let this boy make a fool of him in front of his men. He could not afford to start losing their loyalty to this boy.

Ardeth spat a mouthful of blood at Rahl’s feet. He kept his chin high, but wasn’t certain how much more of this he could take right now.

“It seems you need time to reconcile yourself to the way things are going to be from now on. And I fear I have neglected your friend for too long. So while you are adjusting you your new reality, I will spend sometime with him,” Rahl said grasping Ardeth’s chin.

Rick was pushing as much healing through the bond as he could, glad that Darken Rahl’s attention was turning away from Ardeth for a time. Rahl turned to catch his gaze with Rick had purposefully left glazed over but also shone with muted hatred, as if he were still fighting the poison he had been given.

“Now, where were we?” he asked a dark smile on his face as he stalked back over to O’Connell.

~

Richard paced the cell, circling the small, dank room over and over. Ever since Rahl had taken Ardeth away and not returned Rick, a ball of dread had been growing in his stomach. About ten minutes ago, he had felt a wave of panic through the bond. So far, Ardeth hadn’t responded to any of his frantic questions.

He ran a hand through his hair, feeling frustrated and helpless. Something was going on, he knew it. But without knowing the exact circumstances Rick and Ardeth were in, there was nothing he could do about it or he could endanger all their lives. He moved to the door, listening carefully, trying to see if he could catch the strains of conversations of the guards that occasionally passed the cell, desperately trying to pick out any discernable information.

Just then, the door flew open, and Zane stepped in. Surprised at finding Richard so close, in the sight of the guards, Zane kicked Richard, knocking him back and then slamming the door.

“Are you alright, Seeker?” Zane asked, after he heard the guard move away to give him privacy.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Richard groaned as he rubbed the area Zane had kicked him. “I’ll have a lovely bruise, but I’ll live,” he said with a sly grin. But his smile faded once he remembered why he had been so worried earlier. “What’s going on out there? Do you know what he’s done with Rick and Ardeth?” he asked, his concern surfacing in both his tone and his face.

Zane shook his head. “A lot has happened. The archer that killed Rick was completely insane, and tried to kill Ardeth. Rahl killed him. Then, somehow, all of the agiels in the tower were shattered. Rahl discovered that Ardeth has magic and tried to take over his mind. That didn’t work; I heard some rumors about a magic sword that almost killed Rahl. And now Ardeth is wearing a Rada’Han collar to contain his magic.”

Richard balked at Zane’s words, looking down as he processed the information. “No wonder he was panicking. . .” he breathed slowly, his face grim, “. . . and didn’t respond to my calls.” He sighed wearily, then looked up at the captain again. “And Rick? Does he know about his magic?”

“I assume so,” Zane said, shrugging. “After Lord Rahl poisoned, Rick has been kept in the chamber. The boys are actually chained so that they are facing each other.”

Richard hung his head wearily. “What are we going to do now?” he thought aloud, more to himself than to Zane. “Without their magic, our escape plan won’t work, and the boys won’t be able to heal each other. And my magic isn’t advanced enough to withstand the Mord’Sith.” He slid to the floor, despair threatening to overwhelm him. But he knew in his heart that if he accepted defeat, then they were truly hopeless.

Zane crouched next to him, resting a hand on Richard’s shoulder. “Rahl believes that only Ardeth has magic. There is still a chance of the plan working.”

After a moment or two, Richard nodded slowly. “Let’s just help nothing else goes wrong.” He then turned to look with concern at Zane. “And what about you? No one suspects you of helping us do they?” he asked, wanting to make sure he hadn’t endangered his friend or his family.

“Not yet. And hopefully my little display of kicking you will deter anyone. I must go for now, though. If I find out anything else, I will inform you.”

“Thanks,” Richard said. “Be safe,” he whispered as he cringed away from Zane as the man moved for the door. Then he let his bewildered voice carry to whoever might hear. “Please, please, sir, no more.”

“I’ll be back, Seeker.” Zane made the promise sound very threatening as he left the cell, slamming and locking the door behind him.

Richard found himself smiling slightly as the cell was plunged into darkness.

~

Zed and Kahlan sat across from each other in the small cave they had chosen to hide in until word reached them that Rahl had left the Mord’Sith temple to return to the People’s Palace. The wait was agonizing, especially since they had no clue what was transpiring in the tower. Though unfortunately for them, their imaginations were trying to fill in the gap left by the lack of solid facts. This was only worsened by the knowledge that whatever their minds came up with was not too far from possible where Darken Rahl was concerned. Once again Kahlan rose and began pacing for lack of anything better to do to keep her mind off the Seekers’ fates.

“Isn’t there any spell that you can use to see what is happening inside?” Kahlan asked, stepping up to the cave entrance and staring at the tower barely visible over the trees.

Zed shook his head, uncertain. “The fortress kept by the Mord’Sith is guarded by their magic. Any spell I use to see inside could be intercepted. And even if it isn’t, there is no guarantee that it would penetrate the shield to reveal what is happening inside.”

Kahlan turned to him, white gown flaring around her. “But we have to have some idea of what is going on in there! We have to be prepared to move as soon as Rahl leaves.”

Zed sighed heavily. Kahlan had a point, and he was also eager to know what was happening to his grandson. It was a risk they were going to have to take. The wizard stood and moved to the mouth of the cave. Closing his eyes, he summoned his power to cast the spell, throwing his gaze within the tower.

Mean while Denna was scrubbing pots within the kitchen area of the keep. As the commander of the fortress and the garrisons there, it was her powers as a Mord’Sith that defended the tower. This had not changed since her recent demotion. Darken Rahl knew Denna’s abilities and would have been foolish to waste a resource like her. So she remained the tower’s first line of defense. As Zed cast his spell, she froze in what she was doing, he magic having automatically reflected the spell. In her mind, she could see Zed and Kahlan. She locked eyes with the wizard who could clearly see her too.

After a moment, thinking about what Richard and Ardeth said, Denna inclined her head very slightly to Zed. She dropped her magic shields.

Zed only blinked for a moment, uncertain if this might be a trap, but then he nodded back in gratitude using his spell to gaze into the rooms of the D’haran keep. First, he focused on Richard, and soon he saw a small cell with the Seeker inside, pacing. He seemed tired and worried, but otherwise appeared to be unharmed.

“What do you see, Zed?” Kahlan demanded, stepping closer to him. Anxiety made her voice sharper than normal.

Zed reached his hand out and placed it on her shoulder. Muttering a few words in a language known only to the wizards of the First Order, he extended the spell to where she could see inside the tower as well.

Kahlan gasped and sagged in relief when she saw that Richard wasn’t hurt. “The Seeker isn’t hurt. Thank the spirits,” she whispered, struggling to contain her roiling emotions.

Zed smiled in silent agreement. “Thank the spirits indeed. And perhaps the other two Seekers as well. It is most likely their doing that he hasn’t been harmed so far.” Now that they both knew that Richard was safe, he turned his mind spell to find the two Med-jai’s location within the temple.

They were confronted with a sight as horrifying as the sight of Richard unharmed had been relieving. Darken Rahl himself was torturing Ardeth and Rick. They were chained in a small chamber and both looked to be near the end of their strength.

Zed closed his eyes slowly, stricken with grief to see the boys thus. Kahlan’s mouth hung open in horror. “How can we let this continue?” she breathed. “If he tortures them anymore, they will die!”

“And then he will revive them again,” Zed answered darkly. “They are too valuable to let them go so easily.”

“There has to be something we can do!” Kahlan said, watching as Ardeth kicked out, knocking a soldier into Rahl, pushing him away from Rick. “Wait—is that a Rada’Han collar around Ardeth’s neck?”

Zed looked closer, his eyes widening as he saw the metal ring designed to suppress a magic user’s abilities around the younger boy’s neck. He grimaced as he realized this could only mean one thing. Rahl had discovered Ardeth was a magic user and had taken steps to repress the boy’s power. “Yes it is,” the wizard confirmed, his tone grim.

“This is not good. How could Rahl have learned about their magic? Is Rick wearing one of the collars?” Both wizard and confessor winced when Rahl backhanded Ardeth for his interference.

Rick was pulling against his restraints, doing everything he could to get free to defend his brother, but as the two looked closely, they were relieved to see that O’Connell was not bound by a Rada’Han collar as Ardeth was. “He must not know about Rick’s powers yet,” Zed sighed.

Kahlan forced herself to release the death grip she had on her knives. As angry as she was, it was all she could do to prevent herself from storming the tower.

Zed squeezed her shoulder sympathetically, feeling the same way she did. “I know what is in your heart, Kahlan. But there is nothing we can do, but wait and pray that the spirits protect the boys.”

“Can you use the spell to scout out the rest of the building?” Kahlan asked, flinching as she saw Rahl stalk over to a case full of torture equipment.

“Yes,” Zed answered, turning his eyes to explore the castle, memorizing the layout as he went. No detail escaped the wizard’s keen gaze.

Together, the two studied the Mord’Sith tower. Several times they saw Denna, working at menial tasks around the tower. Her normally perfect hair was messed up, and she was dressed in a ragged peasant dress. Her visible skin was covered in bruises and agiel burns, and she moved with stiff precision. Each time the spell rested on her, she paused, but ignored them.

“Why do you think she is letting us see this?” Kahlan asked, shaking her head in confusion.

“I do not know, but I strongly suspect that the Seekers may have something to do with it,” Zed said, starting to tire from the effort of keeping the spell going. “Whatever the reason, she appears to have fallen out of Darken Rahl’s favor. And by allowing us this covert scouting mission, she is giving us an advantage.”

Kahlan’s eyes narrowed. “But she’s a Mord’Sith. How do we know we can trust her?” she asked warily.

“We don’t know if we can trust her. But there is no reason for her to have let us see anything, and she has not told Rahl that we are nearby. Nor has she raised any of the shields that normally protect the Mord’Sith tower.”

Kahlan considered this in silence for a moment. Zed was right, and as much as she mistrusted Denna, they had very little choice in the matter. They were now dependent upon her silence; they had to trust her now.

Zed let the spell drop a few minutes later. “I must rest for now. A little later I will see if anything has changed.”

Kahlan nodded, but remained at the mouth of the cave a moment longer as Zed sat back down to rest, her thoughts and prayers with the three Seekers, especially with Rick and Ardeth.

Ardeth and Rick held onto each other both to give and take support as the guards herded them back to the cell. Rahl had finally given up for the night, since both boys were dangerously close to death.

The guards were exchanging glances horrified at the condition the two were in by the time their lord had decided to give them a reprieve for the night. Opening the cell for them, they carefully helped Rick and Ardeth inside. They had seen adults break and die from all they had seen these two endure and to see the young men in this condition sickened them greatly.

Ardeth and Rick collapsed to the ground, having almost no strength left. Rahl had been careful to visit his wrath on the boys evenly, making the most of every pain he could inflict on them and pushing them nearly beyond their limits, working them over cruelly until they could no longer even cry out in pain.

Richard came scrambling over, then paused in stunned horror when he got a good look at them. Swallowing hard, the Seeker did his best to help the boys get comfortable. Both of them were shivering badly from shock, but holding hands.

Closing his eyes, Richard harnessed what little magic Ardeth had taught him over the past couple of days and summoned the power to do as many healing spells as he could on the boys. He let his hands hover over their bruised, burned and bloodied chests, using what spells he knew to mend their broken bodies.

After several minutes, Ardeth stirred a little and grabbed Richard’s hand. He didn’t even try to speak aloud, but just used the training bond. ‘Thank you, Richard, but you must stop. If you try to use too much magic when you are first learning, you will burn yourself out.’

‘I’ve got to do something,’ Richard insisted. ‘He’s killing you. And he can’t touch me right now. I’m not going to just let you suffer like this when I can do something about it. If I can’t help take the heat for you, then the least I can do is try to heal you.’

Rick’s grip tightened around his brother’s wrist. He was drifting in and out of consciousness, practically numb from the pain, his overtaxed nerves shut down from the overload. ‘Ardeth,’ his mind’s voice was barely audible, as he called out to the prince, needing to know he was near.

“I am here, my brother. Rest, don’t try to move,’ Ardeth said, painfully moving his arm so that he was resting his hand on Rick’s forehead. Then the prince turned back to Richard. ‘Focus on healing internal injuries, then, and leave the external. We cannot have him suspect that you and Rick have magic. And only try to heal one of us at a time.’

Richard nodded after a moment, noting with concern and grave recognition the metal ring around the prince’s neck. Rick opened his eyes wearily, not coherent and uncertain of where they were. “Don’t provoke him for heaven’s sakes Ardeth, you need more rest than I do,” O’Connell murmured weakly through their bond as he saw a blurry figure looming over them.

Ardeth grinned at that, too tired and in too much pain to laugh. “No, it is you who needs the rest, my brother. That is Richard standing over us.’

Rick squinted, looking up at the man but still unable to distinguish who it was in the dark, but he could have sworn it felt like Rahl’s presence. ‘You sure?’

‘Yes, I am certain. Richard, focus on Rick—there may be some damage to his sight. To reverse that damage, it must be healed right away.’

Richard nodded, placing his hand over Rick’s eyes. Rick barely restrained the impulse to fight the person touching him, startled by the physical contact, but with an effort he kept himself from lashing out at the Seeker.

Tightening his grip on Rick’s hand, Ardeth kept his other hand on Rick’s forehead, trying to soothe the older boy. ‘Relax, Rick. We are safe for now. Just rest, my brother.’

Rick closed his eyes, pulling himself closer to his brother with what little strength he had left. He rested a hand over Ardeth’s chest in the only area it was not injured, so he would know instantly if he needed him. ‘You get some rest too. Richard can watch out for us for now,’ he breathed.

‘Sleep, my brother,’ Ardeth said, watching Richard. He needed to stay awake to make certain the older Seeker didn’t have any magical problems.

Richard looked down at Rick in confusion. He cast the spell again trying to cure O’Connell’s eyes, but it didn’t feel right for some reason. ‘Ardeth, I’m not sure I’m doing this right. I keep using the spell but it won’t take.’

Ardeth sighed softly. ‘Help me sit up, please?’ he asked, rolling onto his side, and wincing as his newer injuries protested the movement.

Richard grimaced. ‘I’m not so sure you should be sitting up right now,’ Cypher said, but he helped Ardeth to sit up anyways, knowing that he wouldn’t see reason where his brother was concerned. Though in his place, Richard had to admit to himself that he wouldn’t either.

Raising one shaking hand, Ardeth held it over Rick’s eyes, feeling the magical patterns. He frowned when he found a strong weave of strange magic. ‘There is a spell on his eyes. I cannot tell what its purpose is, but it is interacting badly with his natural magic.’

Apprehension settled over the Seeker’s features. ‘Darken Rahl has magic. Did he use any on you two once he placed the collar of Rada’Han on you?’

‘He used mainly spells after he put the collar on me. Rick blew up the agiels and I blew up his needles.’ Ardeth focused the magic, willing himself into a light trance so that he could see the spell, and how it was interacting with Rick. ‘Have I taught you any of the cutting spells yet?’

‘Yes,’ Richard replied, ‘though I don’t know what Darken Rahl will do once he sees you are no longer wearing the collar. If I cut it, it’d be safest to sever it in the back so it doesn’t look like it’s been tampered with.’ He closed his eyes placing his hand on the metal ring at the back near the hinge.

“No, Richard, don’t do that! No, the collar is too obvious to remove,’ Ardeth motioned to the sir over Rick. ‘I want you to sever the spell, so that it breaks off of Rick and won’t affect him anymore.’

‘Oh that spell,’ Richard said nodding. It would take him a while to get used to the various spells he guessed as he placed his hand over O’Connell’s eyes once again. Closing his eyes, he summoned the dispel magic to break the link between Rick and Rahl.

There was an audible snapping sound as the spell was broken. Ardeth grinned savagely. ‘I hope that the spell breaking gives him a terrible headache. He will probably think that it failed because Rick was too weak.’

Richard grinned slyly. ‘I hope so too,’ he chuckled. ‘In the meantime, Rick was right; you need some sleep too,’ he said seriously, gently pushing Ardeth back down.

‘I would argue, but I do not think I would win.’ Ardeth painfully rolled onto his side and pulled Rick close, so that they were sharing body heat.

‘No, you wouldn’t,’ Richard said, smiling. ‘Sleep well, you two.’

Rick stirred slightly as he was moved, but, sensing his brother near, slipped back into a deep sleep. “No more pie, Latifa. Ardeth’s not feeling good as it is,” he grumbled in his sleep.

Ardeth grinned at that, and filed the comment away for teasing in the morning, when both of them were awake. He fell asleep almost immediately.


	13. Chapter 13

Richard watched over the boys, desperately wishing that they still had Zane’s cloak when he saw the way the boys were shivering. He scooted closer to them as he kept watch hoping that his added body heat would help to keep them warm. A few hours later, he heard footsteps approaching. Dread began to tug at his heart. He hadn’t expected them to be disturbed again tonight. “Surely he can’t be that bloodthirsty,” Richard hissed to himself, but he knew otherwise. He stood protectively between the boys and the door, ready to defend them from the tyrant’s bloodlust with his life if necessary. He would not let them be taken again.

The door opened and Denna slipped in. The torch she carried cast dim, flickering shadows throughout the room. She met Richard’s eyes, and her own gaze was sad and bleak. “Your friends, the wizard and the confessor, used magic to spy on the tower earlier. I let them.”

Richard could not find the words to respond for a second. After a moment, he found his voice again. “Thank you,” he said, a look of gentle appreciation dawning on his face as he relaxed slightly. This unexpected kindness was the first good news he had heard all day. He shifted he weight as the tension left his body now that he didn’t have to worry about protecting the boys from Rahl or his men. “If they are able to help get us out of here, you could come with us. You don’t have to suffer under Rahl anymore,” he offered readily, his eyes pleading with her to choose freedom.

Denna stared at him. “This is my life. No one would ever accept me after all the things I’ve done.”

Doesn’t the fact that Rick and Ardeth and I have tell you differently?” Richard pointed out. “You have tortured all three of us, but all of us want you to have freedom, to have your life back.”

“I will go with you.” Denna’s voice was quiet, but steady. She dropped to one knee in front of Richard. “I hereby transfer my oaths of loyalty to the cause of the Seeker.”

Richard knelt before her and placed a hand on her shoulder. His eyes gleamed in a way only his did as he met her gaze. “I am glad. You won’t regret this,” he said, smiling with joy, his tone as he spoke to her welcoming and reassuring.

The woman gave him a slight smile. “I do not believe your confessor is going to be very happy with you for letting me live.”

Richard shrugged. “She’ll understand, whether now or with time. And I’ll look out for you, I promise.”

“Thank you.” Denna reached into the pocket of her dress and pulled out three small, bruised apples. “I am afraid this is not much, but it will help.” She handed them to Richard. “How are the boys doing after a full day with Lord Rahl? I heard rumors that he discovered one of them has magic.”

Richard accepted the apples with heartfelt thanks, but at her mention of the boys, the light faded from his eyes. “Not good. The rumors are true unfortunately.” He moved aside, both turning back to look at them himself and moving out of the way so that she could see the boys for herself. “Once Rahl neutralized Ardeth’s magic, he tortured them both brutally,” he whispered, his voice tightening, choked with the cruel injustice that tugged at his heart.

Denna’s eyes widened as she saw the boys. “I have not seen him that angry in a very long time. He must have used his entire arsenal between the two of them.”

Both Denna and Richard whirled, alarmed as the door opened again. Zane stepped in, carrying a blanket, then his eyes widened in alarm when he saw Denna.

Richard quickly stepped over to Zane. “No, it’s okay,” he warded off any questions or concerns the captain might have. “She’s here to help. She doesn’t serve Rahl anymore,” he explained.

Zane looked between Denna and Richard and sighed, bowing his head. “Did you get captured on purpose or was this a recruiting trip?” The captain held out the blanket he was holding. “The guards outside are sympathetic to the boys, so I got them to look the other way long enough to bring this in.”

Richard smiled appreciatively. “Thank you,” he said quietly before moving quickly to the boys’ side to wrap them in it as best he could. Doing so reminded him of when his father used to tuck him in at night when he was a child. He moved very carefully, trying to avoid aggravating their injuries as best he could as he wrapped the two in the warm cloth.

While Richard was tending to the boys, Denna and Zane exchanged glances. “Because of the boys for you too?” Zane asked after a moment, wanting to know the Mord’Sith’s reason for defecting.

“And Richard,” she murmured softly. “I’ve never met anyone willing to forgive before.” Her eyes were turned downward, not certain she could expect such forgiveness or welcome from the captain. “I didn’t think it was possible, especially after what I’ve done.”

Zane shook his head. “All three of them are amazing. I met Richard during the Whisperers incident, when he infiltrated my camp.”

Denna looked at him curiously. She had heard nothing of this when he had been transferred to her command. “What happened?”

“He managed to destroy our entire arsenal of Whisperers, aid the rebels in overthrowing our garrison, and prevent the rebels from destroying the town where all of our wives and children live.”

“He saved a loyalist village from the rebels?” she breathed, half-amazed, half-knowing. “That’s just like him,” she thought aloud. Then she locked eyes with Captain Zane, hope glimmering in them, making her look much younger than she was and not like a Mord’Sith at all, revealing what the Seekers had seen in her all along: the girl she had once been. “Do you truly think we have a chance of succeeding? Can Darken Rahl really be defeated?”

“If anyone can do it, kill Rahl, it will be the Seeker,” Zane said, smiling at Richard looked up from the boys, hearing his title.

Denna smiled warmly, the first true smile they had ever seen on her, one filled with hope as if for the first time in her life.

Zane chuckled as he looked from her to Richard. “You’re good at that, aren’t you?”

Richard looked between the two of them, obviously confused. “Wait, what am I good at?” he asked, coming over to them. The boys were still sleeping, looking much more relaxed now that they were warm.

“Getting people to smile,” Zane said, thinking of how Richard had cheered Tanner up with the magic flute he had carved for him. He clapped Cypher on the back.

The Seeker still looked confused, but decided not to worry about it. He was exhausted after all day of pacing and worrying about the boys, and no sleep the night before.

“You look like you’re about to fall over,” Zane commented, and as if to illustrated Richard wavered on his feet. “Get some rest, Cypher. I’ll see to it that you that you guys aren’t disturbed for the rest of the night.”

“Thank you. And thank you for the blanket for the boys,’ Richard said, glancing back at where the boys lay together.

“You’re welcome,” Zane said as he and Denna walked towards the cell door. “Sleep well, Seeker,” he whispered before exiting.

Richard lay down next to the boys, and fell asleep almost immediately. Denna and Zane paused at the door and looked back, both were quite amused to see the three Seekers sleeping peacefully, side by side.

All too soon, it was morning. Rick was the first to stir, his eyes still bleary and having to adjust to the dark, but his vision was back. He immediately looked over at his brother who was still fast asleep. He appeared to be a slight bit better, but it still pained Rick to see the prince’s face bloodied from the repeated blows Rahl had visited upon him the day before as well as the contusions that mottled his usually perfectly bronzed skin. He pulled Ardeth closer resting his brother’s head on his chest as he used some of the energy he had recovered during the night to cast a few healing spells on him.

Richard sat up suddenly, looking around wildly. He blinked at Rick a few times before taking a deep breath and calming down. “How are you doing?” the older man asked, glancing over both boys carefully.

“Better, thanks,” Rick answered. “Still aching, but at least I’m not exhausted.” He looked down at Ardeth. “Ardeth seems to be doing a little better too, but I think it’ll take a while before we completely recover from this,” he said, forcing himself to be honest. “How about you?”

“Frustrated that I can’t help, but otherwise fine. Oh, here. Denna brought this last night after you were asleep.” Richard handed over one of the apples. He started eating his own setting aside the last one for Ardeth.

Rick stared down at the apple for a second before turning back to look at Richard, eyes wide. “Denna?” he repeated, his tone clearly showing his surprise. But he didn’t hesitate to accept the offering, quickly devouring the apple. Such a small meal had never tasted so good in his life.

“Yeah, she swore loyalty to my cause last night. And she and Zane ended up in here at the same time, so they know to trust each other.” Richard paused, hearing footsteps. “Hand me the blanket and the apple. I’ll hide them.”

Rick obeyed quickly, then hovered protectively over Ardeth. If Rahl thought he was going to take him again, he would have to go through him first.

Instead of Rahl, Denna slipped in. She was still wearing the ragged dress of a kitchen maid. Her hands were full—somehow she had managed to sneak in almost a full meal for all of them.

Rick gawked in surprise, having to momentarily fight the impulse to glare at her with mistrust, but he recovered quickly rushing forward to help her with the tray, reminding himself that she had been tortured and abused her whole life. He sighed inwardly as he realized it was going to take some time to get over the bitterness and resentment he felt towards her for tormenting Ardeth so grievously, but he had only to look back at the memory he had of watching Denna being punished by Rahl to find at least pity and compassion for her.

“Here, let me help you with that,” he said as he began to take some of the items from her so she wouldn’t be so weighed down.

Denna looked at him, surprised. It was painfully obvious that no one ever offered to help her, and she wasn’t certain how she was supposed to react. Richard came over to help too, and glanced back at Ardeth.

“We should probably let him sleep some more. I guess,” the Seeker said, with a shrug.

Rick nodded readily agreeing. He knew his brother would need all the rest he could get. Once Denna, Richard, and Rick had finished setting out the food, Rick looked curiously at Denna. After a moment of examining her , he divided the food into four groups, one for each of the Seekers, and one for her. “When is the last time you ate?” he asked as he handed her a portion.

“I don’t—I’m not sure,” Denna admitted, looking at Rick with wide eyes as she automatically accepted the food. “Why are you being kind to me? You should hate me!”

Rick sighed. “You tortured my brother, and it’s going to take me a while to get past that,” he admitted quietly. “But we’ve both seen and experienced your suffering. Yesterday when Rahl had us,” Rick hesitated, trembling at the memory, “to be forced to live through that everyday over the course of a lifetime, when not even death can free you,” he looked at Denna, his eyes filled with grief, “I cannot even begin to imagine what that must have been like.” Then his eyes hardened with certainty. “And no one should have to live like that.” He looked down at his hands, fear starting to color his expression. “It’s only been a couple of days and I can already feel it starting to eat away at me,” he whispered, shaking his head. “I want nothing more than to do to Rahl what he’s been doing to us, but I know it’s wrong and it won’t make me feel better. But he’s doing this to us so that in the end, we’re no better than him.”

Denna bowed her head, thinking about what Rick had said. He described her feelings exactly, about wanting to get revenge for what was done to her by Rahl. Only Rahl had twisted her anger so that she was torturing other people, and extending the circle of hate and pain.

Richard laid a hand on Denna’s shoulder and the other on Rick’s.

Rick sighed deeply, then looked up at Denna, his eyes showing a sense of acceptance. “That’s why I can’t hate you. And I’m glad you won’t have to suffer under that monster anymore.”

“Thank you,” Denna whispered, smiling at Rick in gratitude. Then she straightened a little. “I must go back to my job before I am missed. The cook is taking great delight in ordering me around.”

Rick and Richard both nodded in understanding. “Thank you Denna,” the Seeker said as she rose. “We really appreciate this. Be careful. We don’t want Rahl to discover you’ve been helping us. Be safe.”

“I will be careful.” Denna started for the door, then paused. “Your friends are watching again.”

Richard smiled, glad to hear that his friends were watching them. “Thanks for helping them with that.” Then he paused, slightly concerned. “There’s no way Darken Rahl could find out you’ve been letting them in, right?”

“No, he will have no way of knowing unless he assigns some other Mord’Sith to the defense of the tower. However, I am the strongest of us all magically, so it is unlikely that he will replace me.”

Richard nodded, sighing in relief. “Good,” he breathed. “Thank you, Denna. We won’t forget this,” he assured her as she walked out the door.

Rick moved back over to cradle Ardeth in his arms. When they were in situations like this, he couldn’t stand to be away from his brother too long. Even if there was nothing he could do to help him, the physical contact was reassuring for the both of them.

Ardeth stirred a little and blinked up at Rick. “Is it morning already, my brother?” he asked, sitting up painfully.

Rick supported Ardeth, helping him to right himself. “Yes, it is,” he said smiling, trying to keep up morale for his brother. “And there’s breakfast,” he said waving to the food that Denna had left behind, glad that Ardeth would get better nourishment this morning than they had had since they arrived here.

“Food is good, especially if it is not from the Cousins. Good morning, Richard.” Ardeth carefully stretched, checking the damage.” “How did both of you sleep?”

“Pretty well,” Richard replied. “Zane brought in a blanket last night for the two of you and then Denna brought us a pretty hearty breakfast to eat.”

Rick was retrieving the blanket at this point, then wrapped it around Ardeth again and handed him his share of the food.

“Thank you, my brother. How are you feeling this morning Rick? Are your eye’s better this morning?” Ardeth ate eagerly, very hungry after the events of the last several days.

“Yeah, I’m good. My eyes are fine. Why? What do you mean?” Rick looked at Ardeth strangely, not remembering the events from the night before.

“You were having problems seeing last night after we got back to the cell,” Ardeth told him, exchanging a confused glance with Richard.

Rick thought about it for a second, the hazy memories starting to come back to him. “I thought we had passed out in the torture chamber. Rahl was standing over us, gloating. He was trying to use us for something,” he said shaking his head at how helpless he had felt. “But you kept saying it was Richard.”

Ardeth shook his head. “No, we made it back to the cell. I think you were pretty deep in shock by then. Richard managed to sever the spell Rahl put on your eyes. It was reacting very badly with your magic.”

Rick ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head as he sat down next to Ardeth. “It seemed so real,” he murmured then shrugged. “Yeah, my eyes are alright. How about you? How are you feeling?”

“About as well as can be expected,” Ardeth said, carefully examining the sores ringing his wrists to make certain that none were getting infected. “It is rather frustrating to be able to feel my levels finally recovering, but not do anything about it.”

Rick gave his brother a sympathetic glance. “Do you think there’s a spell I could use to deactivate the collar’s ability to suppress your magic?”

The younger boy sighed. “I don’t know of any spell like that. Usually when someone’s magic is suppressed, it is for a very good reason.”

Rick sighed in frustration. “Well, at least I can help you by using it for you,” he said, though he knew this would probably be poor consolation for Ardeth.

“Try not to use any magic, if you can help it. We need to keep it a secret as long as possible. I am hoping that Rahl will decide to try to control my magic again and remove the collar.”

Rick nodded, though he intended to heal his brother as much as necessary or subtly keep Rahl from harming him as much as he could get away with. Soon they heard several sets of footsteps approaching the room.

“Hide the blanket, quick!” Ardeth thrust it into Rick’s hands and scrambled to hide the evidence that they had been given more than just gruel and water.

By the time Rahl opened the door and stepped into the cell, there was no sign that anyone had been helping the prisoners behind his back. He chuckled in amusement as Rick stood protectively between him and Ardeth.

“Did you sleep well last night boys?” the man taunted cruelly. “Because I believe there is a great deal I have to discuss with you this morning.”

“You’d think by now, you would have gotten the message that we don’t have anything to say to you,” Rick jeered back. “Or are you really as stupid as you look?”

Rahl ignored Rick’s words and motioned with his hand. Tendrils of magic snaked out and a startled Ardeth went flying through the air to land sprawled in front of the tyrant.

“No!” Rick rushed forward to defend Ardeth, but at another motion from Rahl, his men filed into the cell, taking O’Connell into custody. He leaned over Ardeth who was on his knees before him.

“How does it feel to be humbled, Prince Ardeth Bey,” Darken Rahl purred, locking gazes with the Med-jai’s dark eyes.

“You think forcing me to kneel humbles me, Rahl?” Ardeth asked, not reacting to his title and full name. ‘Rick? Richard? Any ideas on how he learned my title?’ Ardeth said through the bond, not moving away from his staring contest with Rahl.

Rick was searching his mind. ‘No one knew we’re royalty except Richard, and Rahl hasn’t even gotten a chance to even question him yet.’

Richard froze. ‘But when we were on the field in front of the temple,’ he said, his mind’s voice low in dread. ‘Right after the archer killed Rick.’

‘Oh, no, you are right. I was using my title to make an impression on that archer. It must have made an impression on the rest of the unit as well.’ Ardeth turned his attention back to Rahl just in time to dodge a slap.

Seeing Rahl’s effort, Rick shook off the guards holding him and dove for Rahl to tackle him.

The tyrant twirled away kicking Rick as he went. Grabbing Rick by the throat, Rahl lifted him so that his feet weren’t touching the floor, then threw him back to the guards. He glared at the soldiers. “If you lose him again, I will remove those hands that seem incapable of holding onto anything!”

While Rahl was distracted with Rick, Ardeth lunged for the dagger on Rahl’s belt. But Rahl’s lightning-fast reflexes allowed for him to get to the dagger before the prince did. His hand closed around the hilt and whipped the blade out just as the boy was close.

The knife cut deep, slashing from the right side of Ardeth’s lower rib cage up diagonally across the boy’s chest to his left shoulder. R

ick’s cry resounded through the room as he both felt his brother’s pain and saw him so gravely injured, struggling furiously against the guards, who in fear for their lives refused to let him go, though they were hard pressed to maintain their grasp on the boy. Three or four more had to help subdue him, letting their combined weight pull him to the ground since they could not restrain him any other way.

Ardeth clenched his jaw, refusing to cry out. He fell to the floor and curled up, raising shaking hands to the wound to try to slow the bleeding. Already far too weak, the wound was draining Ardeth rapidly, and he would die in minutes.

Heedless of the blood, Rahl knelt next to the boy and wiped his dagger clean on Ardeth’s pants before sheathing it.

‘Ardeth, hold on!’ Rick cried through the bond, his heart racing. As he saw Rahl kneeling by his brother, he began to struggle again with renewed fury, despite being pinned to the floor. “Get away from him!” he screamed in rage, cursing Rahl’s name.

Rahl ignored him completely, grabbing the prince’s chin in his grasp. “As you can now see, that was very unwise, Bey,” he spoke quietly. “I would advise you not to be so foolish in the future, or both you and your brother will die by the slowest and most painful means available to me.” With a wave of his hand, the fatal wound began to glow and heal. Within moments, it was gone as if no knife had ever even touched his flesh.

Swallowing hard, still shaking in shock, Ardeth began to pull himself to his feet. ‘I’m alright, Rick; I will be fine. He healed me,’ Ardeth said, his voice shaky even through the bond.

Rick froze and stopped struggling as he heard this and saw Ardeth rise to his feet. ‘Are you sure?’ he pressed, searching through the bond, trying to reassure himself that his twin was alright.

‘I will be fine. He doesn’t want me dead just yet,’ Ardeth said, sending a wave of comfort through the bond.

Rahl motioned to the guards holding Rick. “Bring him to the upper chamber. The prince and I will be along shortly,” the tyrant said, taking Ardeth’s arm himself.

Rick fought against the guards as they hauled him to his feet, not wanting to leave his brother alone with Rahl. But the D’harans managed to land a few blows to his stomach and face, dazing him just long enough to restrain his arms and severely limit his ability to break free, then began to drag him from the cell, fighting them all the way.

Once the guards and Rick were gone, Rahl brought Ardeth out of the cell, locking Richard in. Then the man set off at a brisk pace, heading to one of the large windows that overlooked the valley. “I became privy to several interesting facts concerning you during the night. Imagine my surprise when I learned that one of my guests is not only a Seeker, but a prince.” Rahl stopped suddenly and pulled Ardeth forward and around so that they were facing each other.

“And you think this changes things?” Ardeth asked, jaw tightening. He attempted to step back, but Rahl didn’t let him move.

“Princes have great power and influence over others because of their positions. Certainly there is a kingdom somewhere missing you, people who depend on you. Not to mention how you declared that if either you or your brother were to fall it would shatter your future.” Rahl smiled wickedly at Bey. “You see, Your Majesty, you cannot afford to fall here or your own people will suffer. By aligning yourself with the rebels and the Seeker, you are sacrificing your own world. Neither of you want to incur my wrath or dire consequences would follow.”

“You are right in some of what you say,” Ardeth said, considering each word carefully. “My people certainly miss myself and Rick, but they are not so dependent upon us as you seem to believe. And while our fall may shatter the future, there are ways where the future will bend to protect itself.” The rising sun crested the trees just then illuminating Ardeth. “We will always stand for what is right, what is true, just and honorable, whether it is here or in our lands.”

Rahl’s smile widened. “That is good to know. Then one of you will be able to explain to your people why the other did not return, for I can assure you that at least one of you will not survive to make it home. Which one, however, is a choice I shall leave to you.”

Deciding it was safer not to respond to that, Ardeth just stared at Rahl. He quickly summarized the conversation for Rick and Richard, and sent it to them. Rahl finally got tired of studying Ardeth and started the boy towards the torture chamber.

Rick was chained in the position that he had been the day before by the time Rahl arrived with his other prisoner. The guards standing around him had their gazes turned decidedly away from the two captives, seemingly the only way they could bring themselves to follow what their lord demanded of them. But Rahl was too pleased with himself over finding this new and apparently secret information about the newcomers to notice.

Ardeth let the guards chain him in place, no longer trying to hide his majestic aura. All of the soldiers and even Rahl had to fight the urge to bow to him. ‘Are you alright, my brother?’

The beginnings of a bruise were beginning to surface from the blows the guards had dealt him earlier, but this was the only indignity they could bring themselves to inflict upon him. ‘I’m okay. You?’ He was concerned about what Rahl might have done to him before he had reached the pinnacle of the tower, though he looked as though he hadn’t been harmed since Rahl healed him.

‘He did not hurt me. He was seeking once again to convince me that this is not our fight and we should just leave.’ Ardeth rolled his eyes. ‘He truly does not understand us or our motivations in the least.’

‘Yeah, well, who can understand the logic of bad guys?’ Rick scoffed, not really surprised, but glad that Ardeth was unharmed.

Rahl paced around the room for several minutes in silence before turning to the boys. “Learning that you two are brothers was not much of a surprise, considering the way you two treat each other. I find I am curious though—which one of you is the older?”

Ardeth and Rick exchanged a glance and they both grinned. “We are twins,” Ardeth said, letting his black hair fall forward to contrast with his bronze skin.

Rahl turned towards him in annoyance. “You two don’t even look alike. Do I really look like a fool to you?”

“Do you really want us to answer that question?” Rick replied almost automatically. Though he had to admit to himself that he would not even have tried to stop the comment from escaping his lips if he had thought about it beforehand.

Stepping forward, Rahl slapped Rick hard, knocking the boy’s head to one side. Ardeth struggled against his own chains, furious. “Believe what you like, Rahl, but we are twins! I bear the reborn soul of Rick’s twin, dead at birth. But your soul would never understand something like that love of coming back, would it? Your soul is a parasite and a disease, stealing life and spreading evil wherever it goes!”

Rahl processed this information, a small amount of wariness taking hold of him. If what the boy said was true, then his assertion earlier had a greater chance of being true. If having died at birth, Ardeth’s spirit was sent back to accomplish a destiny that had not been fulfilled, it was conceivable that even with his powers and knowledge of the dark arts that he could not stand against a force such as that which protected these boys. This idea shook him to the core and only served to fuel his anger and desperation.


	14. Chapter 14

“And yet, even as such a monster as you depict me, my power has enabled me to conquer entire nations and rule over them even up to this day,” Rahl snarled. “To think that two boys from a distant land and an orphaned woodsman could bring about the downfall of a lord as powerful as I am is so comical as to border on the ridiculous. Even though, you may be princes of great power, you cannot stop me.”

“So you have said, over and over. If your position is so very certain, what cause do you have to fear ‘two boys from a distant land and an orphaned woodsman’?” Ardeth asked, voice sharp. “Like any tyrant, your position will never be secure. You will always go seeking one more thing, seeking a way to keep your place forever, and you will never find it. You will never have peace.”

“No, you will never have peace, boy, as long as you continue to defy me,” Rahl burst, quickly losing his patience. Storming over to a trunk in the corner, he shuffled through the items before drawing a whip from its depths. Stalking back over to Ardeth, he held the whip aloft for him to see.

“Do you see this boy?” He let the whip uncoil in Ardeth’s view, his smoldering eyes never leaving the prince’s. He stepped forward a pace. “The strands of the lash are soaked through with a potion. This potion burns whomever it touches, exponentially so upon repeated use.” He smiled slightly when Ardeth seemed unimpressed.

“So for every question you don’t answer. . .” His hand flicked out suddenly, causing the whip to strike Rick, coiling painfully around his ribcage, causing him to cry out in surprise at the sudden pain. “. . . every time you lie to me. . .” The whip struck Rick again. “. . . or attempt to resist me. . .” Again Rick’s stifled cry rung out. “. . . your ‘twin’ will pay the price.” Rahl stepped up to Ardeth, digging the handle of the whip into the boy’s cheek. “Do I make myself absolutely clear?”

Every muscle in Ardeth’s body was tight. “Yes, you have made yourself quite clear.” The boy turned to look at Rick, eyes horrified at the painful red-streaked whip marks. ‘My brother?’

‘I’m alright,’ he said through their bond, though he certainly didn’t feel it. ‘Just caught me by surprise, that’s all.’

“Now answer my question,” Rahl demanded. “How did you come to enter the Midlands?”

Ardeth turned his attention back to Rahl, shaking in rage. “We were summoned,” he snapped, purposely leaving it as vague as possible about how the summons occurred. Hopefully Rahl would assume it was by a messenger and not by a spell.

Rahl held the whip threateningly, poised to strike Rick again. "Do not play games with me by being vague, boy. Your brother's life is on the line. By whom were you summoned?"

Ardeth met Rick's eyes, sending his brother all of the strength he could spare. "I do not know exactly who summoned us. There were some communications problems."

"But certainly your presence was requested by a specific group or kingdom," Rahl pressed, eyeing Ardeth carefully.

"Not as far as we could tell. To the best of our knowledge, no one group intended for us to come." Ardeth ignored Rahl, instead focusing on Rick. 'I think we are going to have to plan for making him think we are breaking apart. Otherwise, he will think this is all too easy.'

‘You’re probably right,’ Rick agreed just before the lash burned across his chest again. He clenched his mouth shut, not allowing the cry to leave his lips, but he couldn’t keep his body from jerking violently against the increasing pain.

“Do you honestly expect me to believe that you and your brother, princes from your own land, responded to a summons you received even though you had no idea who was requesting your presence?” Rahl asked sarcastically.

"Stop!" Ardeth cried, struggling against his own chains. "I told you what you wanted! Leave him alone!"

“Then answer me truthfully!” Rahl snapped.

"It is part of our training, to go into situations where we have no idea what is going on." Ardeth said, earnestly, though he was making that up on the spot. 'We are going to have to seem to fracture, my brother. But with the bond, we can tell truth from lies.'

‘Okay, then just ignore whatever I say,’ Rick said. Then, he assumed an expression of disbelief. “Ardeth, no!” he cried, as if his brother had just revealed some critical piece of information. “Don’t tell him anything!”

"I cannot stand to see you hurt any more, my brother! You were killed!" Ardeth argued back. 'Well, this is an excellent chance to hone our acting skills.'

Rick was chuckling inwardly at this. 'No kidding, we should practice this on the cousins sometime, or maybe even Amir so we don't lose our edge between bad guys.' "No! You can't do this! My life isn't worth it! We can't betray our people!"

'Just imagine the reaction of the Cousins! Or Amir, if we pretended to try to kill each other!' Ardeth shook his head. "I can and I will, Rick. I will not loose you again."

Rahl seemed to accept the logic of this especially in light of Rick’s objections. “Very well. You say you come from the Sahara; then what, pray tell, was the object of your summons? Why were you summoned? And by which route did you travel here?”

Rick’s eyes were pleading and grief-stricken. “Please, Ardeth, don’t do this,” he begged, his voice a hushed tone of desperation, “not for me. Think of what this would do to Dad.”

“Father would rather have both of us alive, Rick!” Ardeth shook his head and looked back at Rahl, managing to look very distressed. He hoped that his apparent distress would be enough to convince the man that he was completely defeated, and not purposely hiding anything.

“I do not know why we were summoned—I just assumed that it was because they heard of us and knew that we could help them. And I do not know your names for the routes we used to come here.”

Rick hung his head. Rahl looked between the two of them, his smile unpleasant as he saw them breaking down. He stepped over to Rick and lifted his chin. “You should be grateful to your brother. He’s saving you a great deal of pain,” he said. Rick pulled out of his grasp only to look defeated at the floor. Rahl then turned back to Ardeth. “Very good. Now tell me about the land you come from. How much training have you two had as Seekers?”

"I do not know—I do not know what the training of a full Seeker consists of in this land." Ardeth told him, again sticking as close to the truth as possible. The only way to fully trick Rahl was to speak with mostly the truth and just twist it a little.

He could see Rahl tense with impatience, but he did not strike Rick. “Then let me clarify for you. How many years of sword training? Magic training? When was it determined that you were a Seeker or whatever they call them in the place you come from?”

Ardeth considered the question carefully, keeping his eyes focused on Rick. "I have been training with the sword most of my life. I only started magic training a few years ago, and I'm not supposed to use magic much. But most of this is because of my status as prince," Ardeth said, hoping to convince the man that he received more intensive training because of his position.

"And when do they deem you ready to fight?" Rahl pressed.

"Ardeth don't tell him any—" Rick's plea was cut off by his cry as Rahl sent the whip cracking down on him again.

"Answer the question, boy!"

"Stop! Please stop!" Ardeth pleaded, letting the pain he felt through the bond bring tears to his eyes. He sent strength through the bond, wishing desperately that he could heal his brother, hating the collar that kept his magic bound. "There are trials that everyone must go through, to prove that they are worthy. Most take them when they come of age. But even then, they are not allowed on the battlefield until they have experience working with the older warriors."

Rahl smiled, pleased with the progress he was making. He stepped over to Ardeth, using the handle of the whip to lift the boy’s chin forcing him to meet his gaze. “You have done well in telling me this. In time though, I will learn more. You are not through yet in giving me the information that I want. You see last night before I sent you both back to your cell, I cast a little spell over yours and your brother’s eyes. This spell allows me to see whatever it is you see. Sometimes when the connection is strong enough I can even read your surface thoughts.”

Rahl smiled darkly, his eyes burning in triumph. “Without your magic there’s nothing you can do to remove it. And once the spell has been in place long enough, it will begin to burrow deeper and deeper until I have access to every part of you mind. You will be completely mine.”

The boy was truly horrified now and threw up as many layers of shielding as he could around the bond. Without magic, the shields wouldn't do much, but hopefully they would slow Rahl down. 'This is not good. Rick, any ideas?'

Rick immediately tried to break the spell Rahl had placed on Ardeth, but couldn’t because his magic was too low to counter such a powerful spell. ‘I could try to place barriers between you mind and the spell and then when we’re back in the cell, Richard and I could combine our magic and cut the link between you and Rahl. Don’t worry, Ardeth, we won’t let him get anything out of this, I promise.’ He sent strength and encouragement to his brother.

Rahl was watching Ardeth carefully for his response, searching the boy’s eyes for any trace of fear.

‘Yes, place the barriers. As soon as we’re back, you and Richard will have to try to break the spell. We cannot chance him finding out about the bond we have, or the training bond I have with Richard.’ Ardeth tried to twist away from Rahl, not wanting the man to see his desperation.

But Rahl pulled his face back towards him forcing him to look at him as he relished the boy’s fear. “Yes, Your Majesty. You will be my slave. Where are you bold words now, child?”

The boy took a deep breath and centered himself, before lifting his chin defiantly. "I am no one's slave, and I never will be. You may eventually be able to see into my mind, but not without a great deal of effort on your part, and you will never control my mind."

Rahl only smirked, feeling confident in his plan. "We shall see soon enough. The time for the spell to be complete is nearly up. In a short while, you will begin to feel it reaching deeper into your consciousness until all you can think of will be to serve me. And the first task you shall perform for me will be to kill Richard and your twin brother," he said, the abyss of his evil soul threatening to reach out and swallow him whole.

"My brother will never serve you," Rick called out from where he was chained, enraged by Rahl's threats to Ardeth. "You are a pathetic, useless weakling, who will fall just like every other creature we've battled. My brother is stronger than you could ever even comprehend to be. And for you to think that you have even a chance of making him your slave is ridiculous!" he spat at the man.

Rahl sent the whip snaking through the air again, and this time it wrapped lightly around Rick's throat, not hard enough to strangle, him, but hard enough to cause a great deal of pain. "You will be silent!" Rahl snarled, before turning back to Ardeth. The younger boy's eyes were half-way closed as he concentrated hard on throwing off Rahl's spell.

Rahl smiled at the boy's futile attempts. "But since you have been obedient to tell me some of the information I wanted, I will give you and your brother a short reprieve to contemplate your new realities." He nodded to the guards who began to take the boys out of their chains to bring them back to their cell.

Rahl looked at Rick a little longer before ripping the whip back from around his neck leaving a thick painful welt ringing his throat. Rick was barely able to hold back the squealed cry from the fire burning his flesh. But he decided not to fight the guards as they came to unchain him, because he knew every second counted, and the sooner they got back into the cell, the sooner he could break the spell Rahl had put on Ardeth. Right now, he focused all his powers on shielding his brother, erecting a barrier between the prince's mind and Rahl's magic.

The guards had to lead Ardeth—his eyes were closed as he fought to keep his mind his own and prevent Rahl's intrusion. It seemed to take an eternity to reach the cell, where Richard was waiting. The older seeker knew something was wrong.

Rick didn’t even wait before the guards were gone before rushing to his brother’s side. He began explaining to Richard what was happening through the training bond. ‘Rahl’s cast a spell on Ardeth’s eyes so that he can see whatever Ardeth sees. Pretty soon, it’s going to start reaching deeper to take over his mind,’ his mind voice said urgently. ‘I have to remove it now, but my levels are too low to do it alone. I need your help!” His eyes were desperate as he helped his brother to a resting position, holding him leaning against his chest, not even noticing how the fresh burns he had incurred objected to this action, because all of his attention was focused on his brother and holding the barriers in place around his mind.

Richard knelt next to them immediately. 'What do you need me to do?' the Seeker asked, eyes horrified as he saw the whip marks on Rick.

'I need to draw on your magic as well as my own,' Rick said reaching out a hand to rest on Cypher's shoulder, his arm acting as a conduit. 'I don't know how much I may need, but it's gonna be a lot. You'll probably feel very tired afterwards,' he looked at Richard apologetically.

'Just do it.' Richard said, opening up his mental shields to Rick the way that Ardeth had taught him.

'Hurry, I can feel him getting deeper!' Ardeth called to both of them, sounding desperate and panicked.

Rick immediately threw everything he had and most of Richard's magic at the spell, fighting it off. He clamped down on the magic feeding it to starve it off while he burned the rest away. He would not let his brother go. If Rahl wanted to take him, it would only be over Rick's dead body. The battle between them seemed to take forever as they grappled over Ardeth's mind.

Ardeth aided the fight where he could, directing Rick to the areas of his mind most in danger and keeping Rahl out of any new areas. It was long, tedious work to hunt down all of the strands of the spell.

Eventually, the spell snapped with the equivalent of an explosion shockwave of magic pulsing outward. Everyone in the temple stumbled, and Darken Rahl was knocked unconscious from the blow of magic in his defeat. Rick slumped forward over his brother, barely hanging on to consciousness. After a second, he managed to force himself up to where he could check on Ardeth. 'Ardeth? Ardeth, are you still with me?' he asked hurriedly, reaching out to him through their bond even as he held him close in his arms.

'I am here, my brother,' Ardeth whispered, reaching one shaking hand up to grab Rick's head and touch their foreheads together. 'Thank you, my brother.'

Rick released his breath, a tired smile creeping onto his face. 'Thank goodness,' he whispered.

Richard was wearied from the draw on the magic, but smiled warmly to see that they had won the fight. Pulling out the blanket they had stashed away, he wrapped it around both of them.

'Get some rest, Ardeth. You're safe now,' Rick said, his body beginning to tremble as the adrenaline began to fade from his system.

The boy didn't even have the energy to respond—he just fell asleep. Richard blinked at them. "He's asleep, then?" the Seeker asked in a whisper.

Rick nodded as he let his eyes close heavily. “Yes,” Rick breathed, barely able to speak with the injury he’d sustained around his throat. “Thank you for your help and for the blanket.” He leaned back against the wall and was barely able to keep from yelping and jerking from the pain to the burn marks that wrapped around his body. But he kept himself from moving too much so that Ardeth wouldn’t wake, but he could not keep the grimace from his face.

Richard moved forward again. "Let me see if I can heal those a bit," he said, and started using the healing spells he knew to try to heal the welts decorating Rick's body.

"No, Richard, I've used a lot of your magic as it is. You need to save your strength," Rick said. He appreciated Cypher's help, but he didn't want the man to burn himself out.

The man considered him for a moment, then cast one healing spell anyways and backed off, looking satisfied.

Rick chuckled at the look on his face. "Thank you," he said. The burns were soothed slightly as the healing spell took affect and faded them a little bit. Rick leaned back against the wall a little more carefully this time shifting his brother to where he would be in a more comfortable position.

Richard kept watch over the boys, making certain they were able to rest undisturbed.

Both Med-jai slept hard and long, drained in every way. As Richard watched over them he realized that their arms had clasped in their sleep. There really is no separating those two, he thought in amusement. He noticed that the blanket was starting to fall down, and he pulled it back up careful not to wake them or to bump any of their fresh wounds.

Two soldiers stood just outside the only entrance to the torture chamber, keeping watch to prevent anyone from disturbing Lord Rahl. The tyrant was in a foul mood, trying to figure out how best to go about completely breaking his prisoners and getting all of the information he needed. Heavy swishing filled the air as the expensive red cloth brushed the stone floor with each paced step.

Both soldiers exchanged a panicked glance when they heard silence and a loud thud—it sounded like Rahl had been thrown across the room!

By the time the soldiers got up the courage to peek around the archway into the room, they saw the D’haran lord in a heap on the floor, not moving. At first the two stared at each other, locked in a silent contest on who should go into the chamber to ensure Lord Rahl was uninjured, knowing that the first person he got a hold of would likely suffer whether he was the man’s friend or his enemy. Finally, unable to risk him waking to find that they had not immediately rushed to his aide, they hesitantly approached his unmoving form.

The younger of the two soldiers knelt next to the tyrant and very carefully rolled him onto his back. There was a small cut on Rahl’s forehead, trickling blood. Yanking out his pocket handkerchief, the soldier pressed it against the wound and looked around, trying to find out what had happened to Rahl to knock him out.

Rahl’s eyes snapped open but then closed again against the excruciating pain that even the torchlight in the room caused and the moonlight trickling through the slit of a window in the next room. His head was throbbing with blinding agony, but this did not dull his reactions. Seeing a blurred figure over him, he wrapped his hands around the young man’s throat and began to squeeze the life out of him.

The young soldier squeaked out a gasp, but didn't dare resist, knowing that would make Rahl's temper much worse. Instead, he rolled his eyes to look pleadingly at his partner.

“You are safe, my lord! It is us—we are your men, my lord!” he said, trying to quickly talk the D’haran down. After a while, Rahl’s gaze seemed to focus and recognition dawned on his face, but he did not release his grip for a time. Growling in fury, he threw his guard across the room.

The other guard scrambled away, terrified for himself now. At Rahl's furious shouts, many more guards came scrambling in.

“That little brat managed to break through my spell!” he yelled with rage. “Despite the fact that I had his powers suppressed, somehow he manages to break through!” He was pacing furiously around the room breaking any and everything within reach in his anger. The guards all stayed at as safe a distance they could, hoping he would not vent his frustrations on them.

After several minutes of storming off his furious energy, the tyrant went to the window and stared out it, now calm enough to think. He would have to do something about this—he could not let any of his prisoners think that they could get away with defying him.

As they saw his temper begin to cool, the guards all began to breathe more easily. But a few jumped once Rahl spoke again, his voice breaking the palpable silence that had settled over the room. “Summon Mistress Denna,” he ordered in a frighteningly calm tone.

"Yes, my lord, at once," one of the soldiers said, scrambling off to find Denna. The rest of the soldiers exchanged glances, wishing they had been fast enough to take that escape from the presence of their angry liege. Minutes later, Denna came striding in, somehow making the ratty peasant dress she was wearing look like a regal gown.

"Mistress Denna," Rahl said without turning as he heard her footsteps entering the room, recognizing the sound of her particular gait. "It seems that somehow the youngest of the Seekers was able to obliterate my enslaving spell despite being impaired by the magic of the Rada'Han. Explain this to me and you may yet redeem yourself in my eyes. But disappoint me, and you will not live long enough to regret it." He turned to fix his cold gaze on his fallen servant.

Denna gracefully dropped to one knee in front of him, lowering her head submissively to hide her glee. "My lord, I do not know this, but if you allow me to work with the boy again, I will find out for you!"

Rahl looked down at the Mord'Sith his eye hard as ice. "And what makes you think that you can succeed now when you had failed me so miserably before?" he asked.

"You have already broken through to the boys, my lord. And they are no more than children—even withholding a few meals or separating them for a few hours will make them much more inclined to provide the information you seek."

Rahl seemed to consider this for a moment, circling Denna as he thought. The quiet before anyone spoke again was deafening, but no one dared utter a word. “Very well, I will give you this one last chance. I must return to the People’s Palace for a short while to retrieve magics and consult with my newly acquired wizard on what other means by which I can break the Seekers. I will leave them in your care until I return,” Rahl said at length as he stopped before his servant. Then, he lifted her chin to look into his eyes, within burning deeply with the deadliest of warnings. “But know this, if you fail me again, if they do not show signs of breaking or if they escape you, you will be shown no mercy. Do I make myself clear, Denna?”

"Very clear. Thank you for this chance, my lord. I will not fail you again!" Denna promised, somehow managing to put fervor into her voice as she met his gaze.

Rahl gave her a slight smile that held no warmth. “Make your preparations immediately. I leave within the hour and should return before dawn the next morning. You have until then to break them down. Don’t disappoint me,” he relayed the instructions as he began to leave the room.

Denna stood as he left and considered this for a moment, then started for her chambers. She was not going to do anything until she was cleaned up and dressed appropriately again!

By the time, she had donned her uniform and finished cleaning up, Darken Rahl and the other Mord'Sith were heading for the star room teleport back to his main fortress.

Denna saw them off, them turned to the guards. "Send your captain to meet me in the room with the prisoners. The rest of you, resume your normal schedules."

The guards ran off to obey her commands. By the time Zane reached the cell, Denna was waiting for him outside. She smiled in her usual placid manner at him as he approached so that the soldiers would not suspect anything. Though her gesture definitely did nothing to allay his concerns. “Just the man I wanted to see,” she purred in her usual taunting tone. “Lord Rahl has given us the task of breaking down the Seekers until his return. And I want you to assist me,” she said, handing the man a whip that she was holding. She looked at him carefully, her eyes conveying the subtlest of messages as she waited for him to take it.

Finally accepting the whip, the captain bowed his head in obedience, relaxing as he decided that she hadn’t betrayed them to Rahl. “After you, Mistress Denna,” the man said, stepping back a pace so that the guards would think everything was normal.

Denna stepped into the prison cell with Captain Ensor right behind her, a devious look on her face until the door closed behind them.

She looked down at the three Seekers, her expression torn between amusement and pity. Richard had dozed off, frozen in a protective position over Ardeth and Rick. It appeared as though he had struggled to stay awake to keep guard over them, but apparently his exhaustion had won out in the end. She exchanged a momentary glance with Zane.

The guard was trying very hard to keep a stern expression on his face, but was loosing the fight. He quickly closed the door, and the clang of the metal hitting the stone was enough to wake Richard up. The Seeker jolted upright and glanced around, eyes barely open.


	15. Chapter 15

“Wha—?” he stammered before he caught himself, hardly coherent but not wanting to show confusion in his current situation. It took a moment before his eyes adjusted to the darkness but still the little light that emanated from the cracks around the door and the torches behind them obscured the two visitors from his vision. He looked up at the pair groggily. “Leave them alone,” he said, starting to pull closer to consciousness as he blocked the way to the two Med-jai. “Rahl really wants me.”

"Actually," Denna said, stepping forward so that Richard could see her face. "Lord Rahl is most interested in the youngest Seeker, especially since he was just knocked unconscious by the boy breaking a spell."

Richard sighed in relief to see it was Denna. “Of course, he would be,” the young man said. “It’s a power he can’t control and he’s furious about that, isn’t he?” He scoffed, before turning a weary gaze over to Ardeth where he lay sleeping heavily in Rick’s arms still. “We were barely able to save him.”

Denna came over and knelt next to them, looking over the two boys. "I am amazed that you were able to break the spell. But we have little time. Lord Rahl has returned to the People's Palace to retrieve some things to help in his control of him. If you are to escape, we must move quickly!"

Richard nodded quickly. He turned to wake the boys, hesitant to disturb them after all they had been through, but he had no other choice. Rick’s eyes opened slowly, and he looked up to see the trio standing above him, momentarily startled until he realized that he was among his allies. Sighing as he forced his body to relax, he called out to his twin through the bond, not wanting to shake him and aggravate his injuries. He had poured every ounce of energy he had into him over the night in an effort to heal his brother and to replenish his magic levels for when they had the opportunity to use his magic again. ‘Ardeth?’

The younger boy stirred and slowly opened his eyes. 'What is it, Rick? If you want help pranking the cousins, go con Gen into helping you. I am asleep!'

Rick smiled at Ardeth’s comment. ‘Maybe when we get back home,’ he said. ‘In the meantime, we do kinda have a bit of a situation on our hands. I’m all for sleeping, but Denna and Zane are here. I think they have some news, though if it’s not important, I’ll be the first to join you in going back to sleep.’

With a scowl, the boy sat up and raked a hand through his hair, trying to get out some of the snarls. He blinked when he realized that Denna was back in her work uniform. "Is it time to begin again?"

Denna blinked at him confused. "Begin again?"

"The questioning. Is it time to begin that again?"

"Only the show of it," Denna assured him. “I need to get you into the tower so I can get the key and get that collar off of you. Rahl is not pleased that you were able to break through his enslaving spell. He has returned for a short while to the People's Palace so he can gather more magics to use against you. We have to move before he comes back while the temple is still vulnerable."

"Well, I suppose that is a good reason to wake us up." Ardeth sighed and looked around for a moment, thinking. "Rick, how are your levels?"

Rick breathed heavily. "They're still pretty low, but they'll probably start going up before he gets back," he answered, avoiding explaining to Ardeth why his levels were still depleted. He stretched his sore limbs, wincing as this action pulled on the burns that still pulsed painfully.

"I wish we had our replenishing potions—if my levels were all the way up, I might be able to break this collar on my own!" Ardeth sighed and turned back to Denna and Richard. "Rather than escaping, I think we should deal with Rahl once and for all when he gets back. He will not be expecting any resistance, and we will have a chance to take him by surprise."

The three adults nodded after a second. Richard turned to their allies. “Zane, if you were to send word to Zed and Kahlan, we could coordinate our attack with Darken Rahl’s return. And Denna could help the other Mord’sith from using Zed’s and my powers against us. And once we are free, I could kill Rahl once and for all,” he said, thinking it through.

“It could work,” Zane said slowly. “That way Rahl would not suspect anything and his guard would be down.” But then he looked down at the boys seriously, his expression grave. “But if we fail, none of us will survive, and Lord Rahl will certainly not let any of you three live long enough to attempt it again,” he said, looking between the Seekers.

"This is far from the first time when things have been desperate. We will fulfill our duties and we will help destroy this evil." Ardeth frowned a little. "Things would be considerably easier if we had our supplies and weapons. We will need our weapons—do you know what Rahl did with Beset?"

At this, Zane chuckled, then held his hand up to silence everyone. As the group quieted and silence settled over the cell, the Med-jai strained to listen for what ever it was that Captain Ensor was trying to get them to hear. After a moment, Ardeth and Rick exchanged glances with the D’haran, amused smiles dawning on their faces as a distinct clanging sound reached them.

At the confused look on Denna’s and Richard’s faces, Zane explained. “Ever since it dislodged itself from the soldier it killed, it has been fighting to break free of the closet they stored the body in. They’ve had to reinforce the door twice already and post half of the guards outside.”

"Beset is now aware that I am in trouble. She will not rest until she is back in my hands, and I am safe." Ardeth shook his head. "We will have to find some way to get her here without the guards suspecting anything. That may prove to be a challenge, as she will only calm for myself or a Med-jai speaking a safe word. What about the rest of our supplies? Both Rick and I were carrying our emergency packs—where did those get put?"

“Those were stored in the main room in the tower,” Denna said. “I can give it to you once we get there. It would look too suspicious to bring it to you. We had suspected that they were poisons with which you meant to kill Lord Rahl.”

Rick chuckled at that. “Maybe we should let him keep thinking that so if he shows up too soon. That way he will not suspect you are helping us. He’d love to turn what he thought was our own weapon against us. In fact maybe that’s the way you can finally convince him that you’ve broken us, since nothing has worked up to this point.”

"What do you mean?" Denna asked, suddenly realizing that it had been far too quiet in here. "One of you must start making noise soon—the guards are posted near the end of the hall, and they will expect to hear something with me and Zane in here."

Rick smiled for a moment and then began to yell as if he were trying to keep them distracted from Ardeth. Denna quirked an eyebrow at seeing a repeat of the same act they had used on her and on Rahl, to make it seem as though they were breaking. “I mean, if he shows up before we expect him to, you can tell him that you are using the ‘poisons’ we brought to kill him on us instead. He doesn’t know anything about the magics of our world, but that it’s different from yours.”

The Mord'Sith nodded. "That would work. We need to come up with some way to get most of the soldiers out of here—the fewer that are here, the less problems we will have in bringing you around the tower."

“I could send the men out to find your friends while I go to contact them myself and apprise them of the plan,” Zane suggested.

"Oh, I like that idea," Ardeth said, trying not to snicker as he pictured the patrol wandering off in the forest, while Zed and Kahlan watched them from the tower.

“That would work,” Richard said, quickly agreeing. “We need to get moving while we still have time.”

Zane nodded, shaking his head a little nervously. “I guess, I’ll need to be the one to retrieve the sword. The guards would never believe any excuse to let any of the Seekers so near to it.” He looked grimly at Ardeth. “Is there any way I can bring it to you without it running me through?”

Studying the man in front of him, Ardeth smiled. "You have a Med-jai heart, so that is one hurdle. The password that you must give to her is in a different language—it is in Ancient Egyptian." Ardeth told him the phrase, which loosely translated to 'I am a friend.'

Zane tried to repeat the phrase but the words and language were so differently from his own, he botched it terribly the first dozen times he spoke it. Finally getting somewhat close to actual phrase he ran a hand through his hair staring down at the floor. “Why do I have such a bad feeling about this he asked to no one in particular as he rose to his feet, a look of deep concern on his face.

Ardeth exchanged a glance with Rick. "Leave the door closed when you say the safe word, and wait until she stops moving. Once you open the door, she will likely go for your throat--not to kill you, but to hold you hostage. Make certain the rest of the guards are not in the corridor, and repeat the phrase. If she accepts that you are sent by me, then, she will let you touch her hilt. Try to avoid holding her any longer than necessary—she will not let even Father or Rick hold her for too long."

Ensor sighed somewhat, burning Ardeth’s instructions into his memory. He did not want to die over something as pathetic as mispronouncing a phrase in a foreign language. At length he nodded, his stance and expression laden with misgivings and resignation. As he walked to the door, he paused a moment. “You’re sure this will work?” he asked one last time before committing himself to this path.

Rick gave him a sympathetic glance. He could understand the man’s hesitancy especially after seeing Beset in action. The only reason it hadn’t taken him as long to become comfortable around the sword was that he was Ardeth’s brother and he hadn’t known it was sentient the first time he had used it.

"You have a Med-jai heart. You will be fine." Ardeth told him, then looked to Rick. "As soon as we get our replenishing potions, we have to both take them, and then see if we can get this collar off."

Rick nodded. All of them looked around, silently agreeing to the plan. “How much of a head start do you need?” Richard asked the captain.

"To get the soldiers out of the castle? At least an hour. It takes a while to fully mobilize them. And it will take me an hour more after that to find the wizard and confessor—that is, if they don't find me first." Zane said, rolling his eyes a little.

Richard nodded. “In the meantime, we can keep up the act that Denna is interrogating us,” he said looking at the Mord’Sith.

Ardeth nodded. "We need to be somewhere that Zane can bring Beset to—otherwise he will be in a great deal of trouble."

“I’ll bring it to you once you are in the tower, before I relay the information to your friends,” Zane said.

Denna nodded. “I’ll take them up in about half an hour.”

As Zane opened the door to leave, Ardeth started pleading loudly for Denna to leave his brother alone.

Denna turned on Ardeth, grasping his chin in what appeared to be a tight grasp, playing along as she threatened unspeakable atrocities. But knowing how close this would bring the boys to their painful past, she purposefully let an apology shine through her eyes that only the Seekers could see in the darkness of the cell. Knowing how much grace and kindness they had extended her, she couldn’t bear the thought of hurting them again, but neither could they risk exposure just yet.

The guards hearing Denna’s sinister words shrank back away from the doorway, reminded once more of how much they feared her twisted mind and never wanted to risk incurring her wrath.

Once Zane had left the room and closed the door, Ardeth ran a shaky hand through his hair. “Amir is not going to be pleased with us at all. Actually, no one will be happy with us. Even Grandmother will agree to keep us locked up in Kiriyah Gan for a few months.”

Rick chuckled. “As long as she still bakes us cake, it really wouldn’t be too bad a sentence for a while. Besides, they can’t keep us locked up forever. It would endanger the city once trouble got tired of waiting for us to go looking for it and came to hunt us down again.”

"This is very true." Ardeth grinned at Denna and Richard--they were watching the interaction between the brothers in fascinations.

“This really does happen to you a lot doesn’t it?” Richard asked not sure whether to be amused or horrified by this thought.

Both boys nodded. "Yes, we have been on far more adventures than most of the elders in any of the tribes. Father is convinced that Fate and Destiny are bored, and decided to amuse themselves by playing with us."

Richard shook his head wryly. "Well, let’s hope they find someone else to entertain them for a while after this."

Denna looked cautiously towards the door, keeping track of the time in her mind.

"Well, while we have the time, we should continue your magic lessons, Richard," Ardeth said, shivering slightly in the cold room.

Richard looked at the prince in confusion. “Can you do that with the collar of Rada’Han suppressing your magic?”

The boy shrugged. "I cannot show you anything, but if you come into my mind, I can show you my memories of how to work the magic. And you've still got quite a few lesson books to look through."

“We’ll let you know when it’s time,” Rick said.

Richard nodded and scooted closer to Ardeth shutting his eyes. While Ardeth was instructing the Seeker, Rick and Denna kept up the interrogation act.

Ardeth made certain Richard had a thorough grounding in the basics of magic, and that he knew all of the beginner level spells. Since Richard was an adult, he didn't have to worry about effecting his growth by using too much magic. He would have to be careful not to overextend himself by doing too much at once. Like any muscle, magic needed to be regularly exercised in order to grow strong and stay strong.

Richard caught on quickly, storing away the information Ardeth gave him, hoping to use it both to fight and protect once they went against Rahl soon.

After a while, Rick reached through the bond to his brother to let them know that it was time to go.

After showing Richard out of his mind, Ardeth came out of his trance, feeling much more relaxed. "How are we going to handle this?" the boy asked, absently running his fingers along the collar. "Are you just going to haul us up to where we will meet Zane?"

“Yes, though we will have to make it convincing,” Denna said. “I will have the guards help me escort you to the tower and then send them on an errand. While they are gone, I’ll release you both and get you your potions, though we will have to remain in that room until Captain Ensor returns with word from the wizard and the confessor.”

"And what about Richard? Is he coming as well?" Ardeth stood and stretched carefully, loosening his muscles as best as he could.

Denna gave a small smile. "I don't think that the Seeker could stand to see you both suffer alone under my hand, and it would go further towards convincing Rahl that I'm using this tactic to break him."

The boy nodded. "You will have to be careful, Richard. The protection spell will not last too much longer, so do not take any chances."

“I won’t,” Richard assured him. “And hopefully, the magic you’ve taught me will give me a few advantages that Rahl won’t see coming until it’s too late.”

"And if nothing else works, we will let Beset go after him." Ardeth gave Rick a hand up, then turned to Denna. "We are ready."

Denna nodded. “I won’t harm you, but I have to make it appear as though I’ve broken you,” she apologized beforehand. She was still not sure how fragile her relationship with them was. They had forgiven her, but she didn’t want to push her luck by giving them any more cause to mistrust her. “You know what to do,” she said giving the trio an amused smile.

Rick and Ardeth looked at each other, and then dropped into a pose more appropriate for two broken prisoners. When Denna opened the door and moved closer to them, they cowered away from her.

"No, don't take them again!" Richard's voice rose loudly in protest.

"Be silent, Seeker, or you will join them!" Denna snarled, and grabbed the boys by the back of the neck. She threw them into the arms of the guards. "Bring them!"

“I won’t let you take them,” Richard said rushing forward as if to get between the guards and the boys.

Denna raised her agiel towards Richard, not quite touching him, but close enough that he could feel the evil magic in it reaching hungrily for his skin. "If you try to interfere again, you will only make things worse for them!"

“They don’t have anything that Rahl could use,” he said quietly, hanging his head slightly in desperation. “But I do. I know where the boxes of Orden are.”

Denna's eyes widened. "And you would give me that information to save these boys from my hands?"

Richard cast his eyes downward in shame. "Yes," he murmured.

"Richard, no!" Rick cried.

Denna turned away, somehow managing to keep a cold mask on her face. "Bring all three of them," She ordered, and stalked away.

The guards moved to grab the third Seeker and began to lead them behind Denna to the tower. The prisoners were solemnly quiet as they trudged up the stairs, shoulders slumped in defeat.

'This works quite well.' Ardeth murmured through the bond. 'It will be much easier to organize our plans with all of us in the same room.'

Richard managed to keep the smile from his face, keeping up the act for the guards. 'And against all three of us plus Denna, Zane, Zed and Kahlan, we have a pretty good chance, even against Rahl's powers. But we're going to have to be very careful with this. We can't underestimate him."

'Yes, you are right. It is never wise to underestimate a villain. But I believe that between all of us, and the different magics we know, and the fact that we will be surprising him, Rahl will not be as difficult to destroy as he would otherwise.'

‘We’re also gonna have to act quick,” Rick added. “Knowing his type it won’t be long before he summons a gaggle of baddies to help save his butt once he realizes we aren’t as broken as he thinks we are.’

'How does he contact his minions? Does he have a device that he needs, or can he just do a magical flare?' Ardeth asked, as they ended up in the tower room.

'He uses a journey book to send orders to his men. He writes inside of the pages and the words appear in the corresponding journal. But the messages have to be written in blood. However he won't need a journey book if there are enough guards in earshot,' Richard replied.

Rick winced at the thought. 'I pity whoever gets volunteered to be his ink donor.'

Richard shuddered. 'From what I've heard, usually they don't survive the experience.'

Ardeth stumbled as one of the guards shoved him, but quickly regained his balance. 'We will need to prevent him from getting to this book, then. Maybe we should hide it. And if Zane's plan works, there will be very few guards in the tower at all.'

‘He usually keeps it on hand, but when he begins interrogation he usually sets it aside on a podium until he needs it. If Denna or Ensor are close enough, they can take it while he’s distracted.’

'That would work quite well.' Ardeth pushed back a flashback as he saw the tower door in front of them. He did not want to go in there again, but there was no choice.

Rick felt his brother’s heart begin to pulse faster, mimicking his own. He reached out to steady him, both physically and through their link. He was just as loathed to return to this haunted room as Ardeth was, but he steeled himself sending that strength through to the prince. ‘We should definitely have Evy redecorate this place sometime,’ he chuckled. ‘Darken Rahl and the Mord’Sith have no taste when it comes to decorating a temple. Some of the ruins in Egypt look more inviting than this dump.’

At that, the younger boy relaxed enough to laugh through the bond. 'I would love to see what Evy and the Cousins would do to redecorate here. I am certain it would involve a great deal of pink.'

Richard ducked his head to hide a smirk covering it with a grimace as if an injured muscle had spasmed. It took a great deal of control not to fall to the floor laughing as his mind tried to envision several young girls prancing about the refurbished pink Mord'Sith temple. 'Can you imagine how the Mord'Sith and Rahl would react to their change in the decor?'

Ardeth was using all of his experience to keep from bursting out laughing. 'I cannot wait to see what they would do to Rahl! You know how we feel about red—I am certain they would find a way to destroy all of his clothing that had any red in it and replace it with something . . . more interesting.'

Rick’s eyes sparkled evilly, dancing with all of the possibilities and suppositions that were dancing through his mind. ‘Oh man, they would have a field day with him! He’d be hiding from every seamstress in Kiriyah Gan.’ O’Connell took a great deal of satisfaction in imagining the horrific color combinations that they would come up with for his new robes. ‘It might be a kinder fate to kill him first but I’m half tempted to say let them meet out his punishment.’

'He has earned that punishment. After what he has done, we would not be remiss to allow Grandmother to spend an hour or two with him.'

Rick almost shuddered at that. He had only rarely seen Ardeth’s grandmother upset, but even that had been enough to scare him. To consider what she might do to a man who had brutally tortured two of her grandchildren sent a thrill of fear racing through him. He wasn’t sure if he could handle being present to witness it, no matter how much he desired it.

The guards began to separate the Seekers to chain them in the restraints around the room. Rick instinctively began to pull against the soldiers’ leading, needing to be close to his brother. The guards poised to strike him for his resistance, but Denna in a smooth motion caught his hand holing it back. As the guard looked up at her confused, he saw a devilish grin on her face, as if genuinely amused her eyes on the boys.

“No, chain them close together. We will not separate two brothers.” Then her eyes turned up with an evil delight to lock onto the guard’s gaze. “It will give them both a chance to better see my handiwork close up.”

The guard swallowed hard and obeyed. Both boys relaxed as they were kept together. Richard watched from across the room, not resisting the guards at all.

Denna stalked over to the torture devices, fingering a whip playfully. She muttered a spell over it quietly so that no one could hear, one that would keep it from touching the Seekers no matter who wielded it in case it managed to be taken from her. Taking it in her hand, she cracked it ominously through the air. The guards whirled, more than a little alarmed at the sound. They then noticed how disturbingly close they were to the striking range of their captives and quickly began to move away.

She grinned at the fear in their expressions. “You may leave us now. I’m ready to have some fun my guests,” was all she had to whisper to convince the guards that remaining behind would not be a healthy choice to make.

The guards scrambled for the door, relieved that they weren't required to be present now. As they opened the door, they found Zane standing there, both arms gingerly supporting Beset.

The captain gave them a hard stare, recovering well from his surprise. “Abandoning your post?” he asked, a subtle warning in his tone.

"No, captain. Mistress Denna sent us away." One of the guards said, with a shiver as he glanced over his shoulder at the torture chamber.

He looked over his shoulder as if confirming this order with her, before nodding to the men, satisfied. "Very well, as you were," he said and then strode past them.

The soldiers closed the door after they were out of the room, and hurried away, but not before they heard a pained cry echoing from the chamber. In the chamber, Ardeth was grinning as Beset.

Zane was sprawled across the floor from where his vain struggle to hold onto Ardeth's magical sword had come to an abrupt end, one which involved him plowing face first into the stone floor. Rick winced in sympathy as Richard and Denna looked on eyes wide between Beset, Ardeth, and Captain Ensor. For a second, Cypher had been half afraid that the sword might have impaled the prince from the way it was streaking towards him.

"Really, Beset, no need to be so anxious. I am fine. You didn't give Zane any trouble, did you?" Ardeth asked, staring down at the blade quivering next to him.

The sword hummed in response and then began to attempt to tug itself free of the wall where it had embedded itself.

Zane, picking himself up off the floor, stared at the blade in amazement. "It gave me a few starts, but it didn't harm me. Made me so nervous I completely killed whatever phrase I was supposed to say. I though for sure the thing would decapitate me at first. When I said it as the door was closed, I knew I hadn't said it right. I don't know why I wasn't run through."

The Med-jai prince shrugged. "Beset has been in my family for many generations, and she knows what to look for in someone. You have the heart of a Med-jai, so even without the safe phrase, I doubt she would have done more than tease you."

Zane rubbed his neck, chuckling nervously. "Oh so that's teasing? Boy, I 'd hate to see what she does when she's actually upset with someone."

"Yeah," Rick grimaced. "It's usually not pretty."

"Would one of you mind freeing us? I think it would be wise to be ready sooner rather than later, and it is so difficult to fight with numb hands."

Denna ran over quickly with the keys the guards had left behind. She tossed a spare set to Zane so he could free Richard while she freed the boys.

Rick began to chafe his wrists without thinking once he was free of the manacles, leaning back heavily against the wall. “Once we get our potions we should be good for a while, but once those bottom out, we’re going to crash and burn.”

"We should wait to take them until we have word that Rahl is in the castle. Better yet, it would be wise to wait until he's almost in the room. That will give us more time and magical strength." Ardeth tugged on Beset's hilt, and she helped him, and the blade slid free of the stone.


	16. Chapter 16

Rick nodded in agreement. Denna went over and brought the sacks over that the boys had brought with them when they appeared in the Midlands. "But it's good to have them ready. You'll want to have them out and accessible," she advised them. "We may not have much warning before his arrival, especially if he suspects something. He has an uncanny knack for sensing when something is wrong."

The boys nodded. Digging through his sack, Ardeth took out two flasks, and handed one to Rick. "Hopefully Amir remembered to moderate the potion so that it isn't at adult strength."

Rick gave a rueful laugh at that. “Actually it might help to have an adult boost at this point. It would definitely recover our levels,” he teased.

"It would, but I do not want to enter the danger area. Father still wishes for me to grow taller than you."

Rick scoffed, good-naturedly. "Keep dreaming, buddy. I've got to have one thing over you at least."

Ardeth shook his head, grinning. "We will see how this ends, my brother. I am determined to win this contest!"

Once Zane had Richard free, they went over to the display case and the Seeker took up the Sword of Truth, the blade glowing warmly the instant his fingers closed around the hilt.

"I think your sword is thrilled to see you again." Ardeth said, watching as Richard interact with the Sword of Truth. Beset twitched next to him, not wanting him to look at any other sword right now.

Richard chuckled wryly. “Happier than your sword is to see mine again.”

“Beset, behave.” Ardeth warned, running a hand over the sword’s hilt. He shook his head at the sword’s jealousy.

Zane straightened a little. “I have to go if we are to get the Confessor and wizard in here. I will do my best to ensure that as much of the garrison as possible is gone.”

“Thanks Zane. Be careful,” Richard said as Zane walked out the door. Denna closed the door behind him and hurried over to the weapons display, arming herself for the coming battle from the arsenal there since all the agiels had been destroyed. By this time the boys had finished downing the magic replenishing potion Amir had given them.

Ardeth made a face and shivered at the tingling as his magic rushed through him again. Then he frowned as he felt the collar quivering a little. "I think that this collar is not designed to hold me back when I am at full power. If I try, I might be able to break it myself."

Rick’s face brightened at this news, relieved. “Rahl’s not going to be too pleased to learn that,” he said with wicked delight, a sly smile spreading across his face. He was feeling more refreshed as well as the power of the Med-jai rushed back to him. He hadn’t realized how much they had both come to depend on that magic over the past few years as much as he had in these recent days.

"Yes, Rahl will certainly get a surprise. I think I wait to test my theory until he gets here—if I strain against it at all, it will shatter." Ardeth took his fingers off of the collar and did his best to ignore it, not wanting to break it before the tyrant arrived.

Rick looked at his brother, uncertain. "Shouldn't we try to get it off sooner? What if you aren't able to break it? Once he shows up, if you can't get it off by yourself, I doubt he's going to give us a chance to look for another way to get it off." He didn't want his brother to be subjected to any more of Rahl's spells, and if their plan failed he certainly wasn't going to pull his punches in protecting Ardeth this time.

"Is there a key that I can use if I can't break the collar myself?" Ardeth asked, turning to Denna. "If I have a key, and I cannot break it, then Beset will certainly defend me long enough to get it off, I am certain."

Denna nodded, holding the key aloft for a second before placing it in the prince's hand. Rick nodded, feeling a little more reassured. He was fairly certain that Ardeth's magic was powerful enough to overcome the device, but when his brother's life depended on it, he would take no chances he didn't have to. He placed a hand on Ardeth shoulder. "How are you doing, buddy?"

The younger boy shrugged. "Much better now that my levels are back up. I will be even better when this device is off. How are you doing, my brother?"

“Better now that we’re going to get out of here,” he said nodding. He grabbed one of his guns and began to check it making sure it was loaded. Once satisfied, he stuffed it into the belt on his pants, since he didn’t know where the soldiers had placed his holsters. Then he picked up his own scimitar.

"Now for the challenging part—waiting for everything to start happening at once." Ardeth pulled his emergency pack closer, and took out the supplies to polish and sharpen Beset. It was an excellent way to steady his nerves. And it had the added bonus of reassuring Beset and tightening their bond once again.

After an hour or so the door opened. All eyes whirled to see Zed and Kahlan step through the door, Captain Ensor behind them. Both wore relieved smiles to see the Seeker unharmed, and Kahlan immediately ran in to embrace Richard. “Thank the spirits, you’re safe!”

Richard hugged her back. "Yes, thanks to Ardeth and Rick, I wasn't harmed at all."

The wizard and the Confessor looked gravely at the boys, both of them still covered in burn marks and other wounds.

"And it came at a great cost," Zed surmised quietly.

"The cost to defeat evil is always high, but it is better paid by those of us who are chosen than the innocent." Ardeth said, voice grave.

“Well, once we defeat Darken Rahl, no one will have to pay anymore,” Richard said, determination in his voice as he brandished the Sword of Truth.

Ardeth nodded. "Yes. We will keep any soldiers that are around busy, while you deal with Rahl. This is your fight and your world, after all."

Richard smiled and nodded. But the sound of voices approaching drifted in towards them. Zane's eyes went wide. "That's impossible, I had all the men out searching the woods for these two," he said motioning to Zed and Kahlan.

"Rahl may be evil, but he isn't stupid. He will have brought his own guards with him. Which is fine with me—I need to work out some aggression," Ardeth stood and stretched, then picked up Beset.

Zane turned sad eyes to the boys, knowing full well the truth behind this statement. Rick had also risen to his feet, taking his guns out from his belt and holding them poised ready to take aim, looking much like a cowboy from a western, his muscles tight with the training and discipline he had learned over the past few years. The captain could tell just from looking at the boy that he was a marksman and was preparing himself physically and mentally for the fight. Ardeth beside him complimented his brother in his stance ready to engage in melee combat with the golden scimitar Beset in his hands. The two were gifted fighters—there was no mistaking this as their eyes focused to take in everything around them. And each of them mirrored the other ready to cover the other’s back when the enemy arrived.

Kahlan drew out her daggers and moved to stand beside Richard. Zane drew his sword, ringing from its sheath, himself a gifted swordsmaster. Denna, while armed, drew only one long dagger, focusing more on the mental control it would take to counter the other Mord’Sith that was working for Lord Rahl. Zed stood behind them all ready to back them up with his spells.

“Everyone should stand back from me, and be cautious of flying metal when he first enters. I will try to direct the explosion towards him, but while I am still wearing this collar, my magic is a bit unpredictable,” the boy warned, keeping his focus on the door.

Everyone nodded. Rick understood this, but made no effort to move away from Ardeth. He couldn’t bring himself to risk exposing one of his brother’s sides to attack by stepping too far away from him.

At that moment, the door flew open and Rahl entered the room, General Egremont, the Mord’Sith and eight other men behind him. As he took in the group, malice flared in his eyes at their impudence, especially as his gaze settled on Captain Ensor and Denna, but his face remained a tight mask of control. “Hello again, boys. It is good to see you again. I hope you have been looking forward to my return as much as I have,” he said, his lips curling up into the unpleasant smile he seemed so fond of using.

"I cannot say that we have looked forward to seeing you again, but it will be nice to help Richard finish his duty here." Ardeth's voice was cool, and his eyes narrowed as he focused his magic on destroying the collar binding it.

The room began to thrum with power as Ardeth’s magic bent against the device oppressing his powers for a second. Then with a wave of energy and light, the collar shattered the metal shards flying through the air in every direction. Rahl turned away raising his arm to shield his face as did everyone else in the room. Even so, some of the D’harans fell clutching at fresh wounds as the shrapnel cut through some of the less protected parts of their uniforms. Immediately Richard and his party fell upon the dark lord trying to take advantage of the momentary distraction the explosion had caused. Rahl’s face twisted in rage that Ardeth had been able to free himself despite the power of Rada’Han. A sword appeared out of nowhere and Richard had to jump quickly aside mid-charge to keep from becoming impaled on the D’haran blade.

Ardeth lunged into the fray near Richard, working to keep the soldiers away from the climatic battle between Richard and Rahl. The Mord'Sith went after Denna, as expected. The clashing of metal on metal and pained cries filled the room.

Rick covered his brother, moving together and fighting as one, they coordinated their attacks through the bond. Kahlan’s and Zane’s blades sung through the air as they engaged in the battle as well. Rahl saw that they were evenly matched in numbers. He would have none of this. He had prepared for just such an emergency. His smile at Richard was cruel as he called out. Within a couple of seconds, the back door of the room opened and at least ten more soldiers poured into the room, attempting to overwhelm the rebels and traitors by coming at them from the flank.

“Finish Rahl off, Seeker! Do your duty!” Ardeth’s voice rang over the noise of the battle. The boy lifted Beset high and whispered a spell—flames sprang up along the blade.

Richard locked eyes with Rahl, ignoring all else, the soldiers, his companions, everyone and everything else fading away from his perception as he focused all of his attention on Darken Rahl. Likewise, Rahl also homed in on the True Seeker. His eyes glinted like steel as their blades locked. “You’re a fool Richard if you think you can beat me. We are evenly matched and for more than one reason.” Rahl’s expression was slightly desperate but Richard could tell that he felt he still had one last trick up his sleeve, a secret he was holding onto just on the edge of his perception.

Richard glared at the tyrant, gritting his teeth. "I will defeat you, Rahl! I am going to free the people from your evil!"

“And how far are you willing to go to accomplish this goal. You have already lost your father and your mother to try and kill me. You would kill your brother now too?”

"What are you talking about?" Richard demanded, hesitating in his next blow.

“You and I are brothers,” Rahl answered pressing his advantage now that he had Cypher’s attention. “Did you never wonder who your father was?”

The younger man was struggling to match Rahl's attacks now, very effectively distracted. "Zed never told me—he said he didn't know who my father was. How could we possibly be brothers?"

“Of course he didn’t tell you,” Rahl chuckled bitterly, putting on a convincingly hurt face. “Why would he tell you that the man he wants you to kill is actually your own flesh and blood. But of course this would be the fist secret he’s kept from you isn’t it?” Rahl asked pointedly, trying to place doubt into his head. “Our father had many affairs with peasant women throughout his realm and abused his son greatly. Then one day, he told me one day that he had had a vision that he would have a son with one of these women and that one day my half-brother would kill me. And despite this revelation he continued to seduce women of his kingdom.” He locked gazes with the Richard, his eyes intense. “You’re supposed to be the True Seeker. You know that what I say is so. Look me in the eyes and tell me that it’s lie, if you can.”

Richard met Rahl's eyes, and his own widened. "It is true," he whispered, suddenly horrified.

Rahl’s expression softened outwardly, but inwardly he was cheering in triumph. If he could get Richard to lower his guard enough, he would be able to manipulate him to be under his control. He began to cast the spell with his thoughts. It would have to gradually build so that the Seeker would not detect it in time to be able to escape it, but once it was in place, it would be unbreakable. His eyes were warm with understanding as they began to draw Richard in. “But we don’t have to be at war, my brother,” Rahl said as he lowered his sword reaching his arm out towards Richard in a gesture of peace. “We can be at peace. We can be a family again, you and Jensen and I, all together.”

It was the mention of Jensen that jarred Richard back into wariness—he would do anything to keep her safe. Also, there was a low ringing, like the gong of a large bell, against his mental defenses as Rahl tried to cast the spell.

Rahl seemed to falter almost imperceptibly. The break in his expression was so brief that Richard wasn’t certain it had happened for a second. Darken Rahl held his composure though, still reaching towards Richard. “How long did it take for Zeddicus to inform you that he was your grandfather? They’ve been keeping secrets from you so that they can manipulate you to doing what they want you to do. They’ve been using lies trying to turn you against me. Please, my brother, don’t let them take you away from me,” Rahl said, his eyes pleading.

"Richard, what's taking so long?" Ardeth called over his shoulder. He was fighting off several soldiers, barely keeping up with the attacks because of his weakened state. "We could use some help!"

Richard was still held in Rahl’s gaze torn in indecision. ‘He’s my brother,’ he called numbly back out to Ardeth through the training bond, lowering his sword slowly without realizing it.

'Blood is very important, yes, but the family we choose is also important. Are you willing to become his slave and let the world continue to suffer?' Ardeth also used the training bond, risking a glance over his shoulder. 'If you cannot fulfill your duty, I will do it for you.'

Richard blinked at Ardeth’s words, knowing the prince was right. Then he felt a searing pain course through his mind as the spell Rahl was trying to work impacted against the protection barrier Ardeth had helped him to build around his mind. Rahl was trying to control his mind. Then all the memories of all Rahl had done to him and his friends poured through his awareness reminding him that Darken Rahl was anything but a friend. All the pain and suffering this man had caused galvanized in his consciousness, strengthening his resolve. His eyes hardened with his will as he raised the Sword of Truth again.

Rahl looked at him startled, keeping up the act for a moment longer looking betrayed. “My brother? Richard?” he pleaded.

"We may be related, but that doesn't make us family!" Richard spat out, and attacked. Rahl barely got his own blade up in time to deflect the blow.

Rahl’s face twisted into a sneer as he locked swords with the Seeker. “Fine, if this is how you want it to end, I’ll finish you quickly.” Rahl dove in and out of Richard’s reach, using all the skill he had as a swordsman, which was considerable. He aimed a few spells at the boy, using fire and ice at the same time to try and cripple Cypher, knowing that the pain of the contrast between the two spells would be excruciating.

The Seeker cried out, but didn't stop in his attack. He knew if he stopped before his blade was in Rahl's heart, he would never win. Their blades clashed loudly, and several times the Sword of Truth flared, absorbing the spells Rahl was throwing at Richard.

Rahl was getting desperate. It was over and he knew it. There was only one way out of this. He threw a handful of spells at Richard to daze him just long enough to get away from his one-on-one battle with the Seeker. His eyes searched the group of combatants around him and found the one he was looking for.

Kahlan was fighting nearby having just taken out three soldiers and fighting two more. They both had a height and weight advantage over her, thought the only reason it was even proving slightly useful was because she was wearying from the battle and a handful of wounds she had sustained. Seizing the opportunity, Rahl came up behind her swiftly while she was still distracted by her opponents and wrapped his arm around her neck, the blade of his sword digging into her throat.

“One more move, Seeker, and she dies,” Rahl called out to Richard.

Eyes wide, Richard stopped immediately, and glanced around desperately for help. Everyone else was occupied, and while they were winning against the soldiers, there was no way any of them could break free to come help him. Kahlan locked eyes with Richard. "Do what you have to do," she whispered.

Richard’s heart sank as he met her eyes. He would do anything to save her—he could not lose Kahlan to Rahl. But he knew he could not sacrifice their mission. He looked at her face etching it into his memory one more time, then he hung his head in defeat for a moment. “Forgive me, Kahlan,” he said, imperceptibly tightening his grip on the hilt of the sword, hoping Rahl would think he was giving up.

Rahl was backing away, keeping a tight grip on Kahlan. The two soldiers that had been fighting the confessor now joined the melee, keeping the rest of the group occupied. Rahl chanced a glance over his shoulder to find out how close to the door he was just as Richard moved.

Richard invoked a dazing spell that Ardeth had taught him against Rahl causing the tyrant to lose his grip on his sword. Richard used the opportunity to pull Kahlan away from Rahl to stand safely behind him with one arm while at the same time running Rahl through with the blade in his other hand.

Rahl stared at the Sword of Truth in shock, then turned to Richard. "How?" the man asked, sounding sincerely shocked. Then, his eyes closed and he slid off of the sword, landing with a heavy thud on the stone floor.

Richard looked down at Rahl's body, torn between shock and relief, both that Darken Rahl was dead and his quest finally over. He turned to Kahlan to see if she was alright, drawing her close to him.


	17. Chapter 17

Everyone else in the room froze, staring in disbelief. Darken Rahl was dead. They all began to exchange confused glances, uncertain what to do now.

Zane exchanged a glance with Denna, and stepped forward. "If you want to live, surrender now to the Seeker!" he yelled, brandishing his sword at the demoralized soldiers.

It didn't take long for most of the soldiers to begin laying down their swords, the others following suit after a short moment of indecision. Eventually even the Mord'Sith lay down the agiel she had brought with her, unwilling to die for her dead liege. After a while, all of Rahl's forces were in the rebels' custody.

Rick turned to look at his brother with relief. "Well, that's one less creature to worry about, now," he said with one of his usual grins as he leaned heavily on his sword, exhausted.

Ardeth was leaning against the wall, doing his best to remain upright. "Yes, thankfully. It is always excellent to deal with the creatures."

"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm ready for a nap," Rick said walking over to his brother and leaning against the wall letting his weight slowly drag him to the floor. Instantly, he regretted this though as pain surged through all of his fresh injuries. He winced sharply, but otherwise held in his reaction. "Yeah, definitely ready for a nap," he hissed irritably.

Ardeth sat down next to Rick and gently put Best down. Absently he put out the fire spell—it had been very effective. He would have to remember to use that against the temple guards.

Zane and Denna were assigned with securing the prisoners left the room escorting them to the prison cells that a few hours ago they had been guarding. But while they had been cruel to their captives, it was made clear that the same would not be true of them now that their positions were reversed. As they left the room, Richard, Kahlan, and Zed came over to where the two boys sat on the floor. Aside from the various injuries the two Med-jai had sustained during their multiple torture sessions, they had also garnered a few wounds throughout the battle. Both boys were exhausted and physically spent despite the potions that hat given them the stamina to last the battle. But neither could take any more physical strain, and the adrenaline was beginning to wear off.

Ardeth blinked up at the adults, trying to stay awake. "I think Rick and I are going to rest for a bit. Do you need anything first?"

Richard shook his head, both sad and amused by Ardeth’s offer at the same time. “You have done enough, Ardeth. Now you two need to get some sleep.”

"No objections there," Ardeth murmured, leaning over so that he was resting against Rick. Both of them needed the physical contact.

Richard Kahlan and Zed exchanged glances as the boys fell asleep. "Zed, can you help to heal them at all?" Richard asked. "If we could help to ease their pain, at least we could help them that much with how they helped us to defeat Rahl."

Zed nodded. "I will do what I can," he said, kneeling next to the boys and examining their injuries. He shook his head gravely. "I will only be able to heal the most severe of wounds, since there are so many injuries."

Richard nodded his head in understanding. He was surprised that the boys weren’t dying from how grave their injuries had been. Then he scoffed when he realized that they would have been if they hadn’t been able to heal each other at so many points over the past few days. As Zed was working to heal the boys, Richard turned to Kahlan. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to him, and kissing her deeply. He couldn’t even begin to express his relief that Rahl had not been able to kill her as he had threatened to do. “Thank the spirits, you’re alright,” he breathed as they broke the kiss, but still brushing lips. Being so near to her and knowing she was safe made him feel stronger and safer himself.

Kahlan ran a hand lightly over Richard's face, sighing in contentment as she relaxed in the safe circle of his arms. Zed rolled his eyes as he looked at them.

"Would you two love birds like to be alone?" the wizard teased them. Both Kahlan and Richard chuckled at that, and the Seeker gave his grandfather a wither glare who only shrugged in response.

After another moment of just holding Kahlan, Richard sighed and reluctantly let go of her. There were still many things to take care of—they had to make sure that no soldiers out on patrol came back and surprised them. And the body of Rahl had to be dealt with.

By the next morning all of Rahl’s men had been captured and locked away in the prison cells of the fortress. Word had been sent by a messenger to Chase to send reinforcements to help guard the tower under Captain Ensor’s and Denna’s control so that the Seeker and his friends could continue on to Lathander so that the boys could be sent home. Fortunately, the secondary rebel outpost was not more than a few hours away. Rick and Ardeth were still asleep by the time Chase and his men had reached the tower.

Ardeth woke up first. A healer had come with the rebels, since there was only so much healing that Zed could do. As the healer knelt to check on the boys, Ardeth woke up, grabbing for a dagger that wasn't on his belt as he tried to figure out where he was and what was happening.

The healer backed away slightly having anticipated this reaction. He had seen it all too often with Rahl’s victims. Richard had stayed with the healer and the boys, having suspected that this might happen. He quickly reached out to grab Ardeth’s shoulder gently, calling out to him through the training bond. ‘It’s alright Ardeth. He’s a healer—he’s here to help you guys,’ he said quickly to reassure the prince.

Ardeth blinked, and scrubbed a hand over his eyes. He finally focused on the healer and Richard, and forced himself to relax. "My apologies," he said to the healer, before turning to check on Rick.

Rick had begun to stir from Ardeth's thrashing. "Ardeth?" he said, reaching for his brother.

"I am here, my brother. Be still." Ardeth rested his hand on Rick's forehead, sending calm and comfort through the bond.

Rick settled back down, reassured now that he knew Ardeth was safe and not in danger. Though, he still felt rather sluggish, his muscles only reacting to his commands hesitantly since he had slept so hard. “What’s going on? Is it morning already?”

"Apparently," Ardeth's voice was dry as he glanced at the sunlight streaming from the windows. "There is a healer here."

"Amir's here? No…wait, we're still in the Midlands aren't we?" Rick tried to sit up, but the healer pushed him back down again.

"I wouldn't just yet," he warned gently. "Let me finish first, then you both sill get some hot breakfast."

At that Rick's eyes came into focus a little more. "There's food?" he asked a grin starting to spread across his face.

Ardeth rolled his eyes. "I hope you have plenty. From what I am feeling from him, my brother is ready to empty an entire table full of food!"

"I might," Rick said, flashing his brother a cocky smile. "You've been known to put some food away yourself. You can't tell me that after all you've been through this past week that you aren't hungry. Vanquishing evil does build up quite an appetite, you know."

"That is very true, my brother. And Father would be so disappointed if I neglected the task he gave me of growing taller than you."

“Well, as long as you have a goal to shoot for,” Rick teased Ardeth.

The healer smiled, glad that the boys seemed to be distracted as he lathered salve on the prince’s many cut, burns, and bruises, using spells over the more severe injuries and bandaging them carefully. By the time he was through with Ardeth, the heir to the Med-jai throne had very little left of him that was not covered in bandages, but he was feeling a good deal better at least than the night before. Rick was trying unsuccessfully to hide his amused smirk.

"If you make one comment about my being a mummy, I am certain that the healer won't need to tend to you after all," Ardeth warned, easily able to tell what his brother was thinking.

Rick simply assumed an innocent look. "I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about. I wasn't going to say a word." But the smile remained.

Ardeth gently smacked Rick on the back of the head, careful not to hit any bumps or bruises. "Your turn, my brother."

The healer moved on to Rick. Soon O'Connell was just as covered from head to toe in bandages. The two boys were quite a sight to be seen when the kitchen maid came in with breakfast.

The two boys were bantering back and forth, amusing everyone with their comments. It was obvious that they were feeling much better now that they were no longer captives, and now that the oppressive evil aura from Rahl was gone.

Chase laughed heartily to see the two brothers teasing each other and nearly start a food fight between the men by throwing food at a random rebel and blaming it on the soldier sitting next to them. He turned to Richard. “It is good to know that you are safe and that you were finally rescued. When you didn’t meet up with us at the secondary base, we feared the worst,” Chase commented to Richard.

"It would have been very bad if the boys hadn't been with me. They protected me at all costs." The Seeker shook his head and looked away, trying to repress the memories.

Chase placed a hand on Cypher’s shoulder. “Then for that, I will be forever in their debt. They saved my best friend.”

Richard smiled at Chase. "We are all in their debt, without their help, I wouldn't have been able to defeat Rahl."

“If that is so then you are right. We will never be able to repay the debt we owe them,” Chase agreed with a smile. Then a cry broke out as one of the soldiers caught onto Rick and Ardeth and began tossing food in their direction instead of at each other.

The boys, laughing, ducked behind Richard and Chase, so that the food all hit those two. The soldiers froze, looking horrified as the food hit the Seeker.

But Richard just burst out laughing grabbing up the arsenal from his own plate and began tossing it back, then ducking under the table for cover.

That started a general fight—every person for themself. Things got even more intense when Kahlan and Denna stepped in just in time to be pelted with all sorts of food.

Richard winced and immediately ducked behind Chase. Chase cried out dismay. “Hey!”

“No, I want to live long enough to enjoy our success!” Richard called out. “Just a few days longer. Then she can kill me.”

Kahlan simply picked up a pie from the table silently motioning for Chase to step aside when she got close enough, a wicked glint in her eye. Denna seeing the confessor’s idea, picked up a plate of food and came at him from another angle. The two women coordinated their attack moving closer and closer.

Ardeth and Rick sat back to watch, highly amused. Zed stepped into the room just in time to see Richard get taken down by the two women.

Richard was laughing and wiping the food off of himself when he noticed his grandfather laughing at his predicament.

"I leave the room for two minutes and look at the mess you children have made," Zed commented, his tone scolding, but there was a smile in his eyes.

Everyone turned to point to the boys. "They started it!"

Ardeth gave them his best hurt look, and shifted a little to more prominently display the bandages. "Why would we do something like that?"

Richard shook his head in amusement as Rick and Ardeth both put on convincingly innocent faces. "Why do I get the feeling that those expressions get plenty of practice?"

"How could you possibly accuse royalty of something like that?" Ardeth's expression was now nearly angelic. He elbowed Rick, who had lost the battle and was now snickering.

"Oh, I don't know, but you seem to have a skill for acting," Richard replied quirking his eyebrow. "Plus, even royalty has to have fun sometime, and I think it's time you joined in," he said picking up another plate of food and looking deviously at the boys.

Ardeth shrugged. "Very well. But you get to explain to the healer why our bandages were messed up within ten minutes."

“Aww, man,” Richard groaned. “That’s just wrong.”

“Besides, you wouldn’t want to waste such good food,” Zed commented, snatching the plate out of the Seeker’s hand, and sitting down at the only unsoiled part of the table and beginning to eat his breakfast.

Ardeth grabbed his own plate and started eating again—the food was much too good to waste that way.

After breakfast was finished and all the offenders had helped cleaning up the mess they had made of the dining area, Richard and his friends said their good-byes to Chase, Denna, and Zane before they started out for Lathander.

"How long of a trip is to this Lathander?" Ardeth asked, as he settled his emergency pack more firmly on his shoulders. It was wonderful to be out of the tower.

"Actually, from here, we should reach the foot of the hills by evening," Kahlan said as they headed west.

Rick breathed deeply, a chill running through him as they passed the spot where their escape attempt had been thwarted. He would have no regrets leaving this place behind. His muscles began to relax slightly as they reached the tree line.

"Well, I must admit, I am very happy to leave that place behind. It will be wonderful to get home again, even if it is only to be confined in Kiriyah Gan."

Rick chuckled. “Yeah, no kidding. Though you’d think that we wouldn’t get confined as often since this is what they’re training us for,” he scoffed ruefully. Though he was eager to be home too.

"Father wants us to survive so that we are able to do our duty when we are adults," Ardeth said, with a shrug.

“We’re still alive…barely, but we’re still alive.” He grinned broadly at his brother.

"And how many times have we actually died?" the prince shook his head. "Far, far too many times. If Fate and Destiny didn't still need us, we would have stayed dead the first time."

Rick frowned slightly at that. "Maybe, but we're still here. I know we're not invincible. Heaven knows we both know that. But we are still here. And I'm not going to let what's happened scare me into hiding away," he said thoughtfully.

The younger boy smiled. "I will not let it scare me, either. But we do need to be more cautious—though Fate and Destiny do have something big planned for us, if we keep up at this rate, it will be less effort for them to find someone else to do it."

Rick chuckled. "Well, when they send so many bad guys our way what do they expect?" he joked. "It's not like we go looking for this. Oh well, I guess we had better prepare our 'sorry-it-won't-happen-again speech' for Amir at least. Dad knows better."

"I believe Amir knows better as well, but he believes it builds our logic to have to present it to him." Ardeth grinned as he watched how Kahlan and Richard were walking very close together.

By that evening they had reached the hills of Lathander and a small cottage that sat nestled at the bottom. Zed knocked on the door and was greeted warmly by a man who looked very much like him though a bit shorter.

“Boys, I’d like you to meet my brother,” Zed said with a smile.

"Hello, Zed's brother," Ardeth said, with a slight grin. "I am Ardeth Bey, and this is my twin, Rick O'Connell."

"Hello, Ardeth and Rick. I am Thaddicus. It is an honor to meet you." Thaddicus turned to Zed in mock irritation. "Well I assume you're here for one of your spells."

Zed shrugged, grinning. "Well, there's that too, but I was hoping for some of your cooking!"

“I’ll bet,” Thad chuckled eyeing his brother suspiciously. “Well, I supposed there might be something I can scrounge up for you,” he grumped, but there was a definite smile in his eyes. “Come on in I’ll see what I can make.” He stood back to let the party in the door.

Both boys sat gratefully, exhausted after the trip to get here. They began helping each other out of the bandages.

The wounds were looking a fair bit better than they had before, but still severe enough to draw Thad’s eye. He tried not to stare, but seeing the boys in that condition disturbed him to say the least. “By the spirits, you two look like a shadrin used you both for a chew toy.”

"What is a shadrin?" Ardeth asked, as he tended to Rick's injuries, healing as much as he could before cleaning and rebandaging the rest.

Thad groaned. "Pretty nasty creatures, shadrins."

"You can say that again," Kahlan agreed ruefully.

"No, we just ran into that creature, Rahl." Ardeth finished up with Rick, and set aside his emergency pack.

Thad growled at the mention of the name. "Better to have run into the shadrin," he said as he ladled up healthy portions for the entire party. A wonderful aroma filled the room that reminded the boys of Dr. Bey's cooking. Rick looked at the bowls eagerly before turning to see to his brother's bandages. As hungry as he was, he was more concerned that none of his brother's wounds had gotten infected.

Ardeth rolled his eyes at Rick's careful examination of his injuries, but didn't protest—he wanted to be in as good shape as possible for when they returned home. The less injuries they bore, the less time they would spend being lectured.

After examining him thoroughly Rick was satisfied, casting some more spells to speed the healing process and allowing Ardeth to eat before turning to his own food.

Both boys ate several helpings of the food, enjoying the wonderful cooking. When everyone was done, Thad leaned back in his chair. "So what are you up to now, Zed?"

"Well I hope to send these two boys home with a spell I have lying around here somewhere. I also bear good tidings. Rahl has been defeated." Zed's grin spread from ear-to-ear.

Thad's eyes widened. "He has? When did this happen? How?"

“Yesterday,” Zed said. “The Mord’Sith had captured Richard, Ardeth, and Rick, and they met with Darken Rahl in battle, and Richard slew him.”

The old man shook his head, obviously amazed. "I cannot believe that in my lifetime we were freed from Rahl's tyranny!"

“I know, it seemed as if this day would never come,” Zed agreed. He sighed in wonder and contentment. “Now we can finally begin to heal the lands he’s ravaged and bring peace to the people.

After several more minutes of talking, the men happened to glance at the boys, and found them both nodding off at the table.

Thad smiled at the two. "You are of course more than welcome to stay the night. The rooms aren’t very luxurious, but they’d be able to get some sleep,” he whispered to Zed.

The wizard nodded. “I think that would be wise. And it would be better to return them to their homes in as good condition as possible. Their being here is the result of a summoning spell gone awry—I misspoke, and a Mord’Sith tried to warp it.”

Thad nodded. “I didn’t think those two were from around here, especially the younger boy with his tattoos.” He looked at them curiously for a moment longer before helping Richard and Zed get the two of them off to bed.

Both boys were tired enough that they didn't wake up as they were moved, which was a good thing for all involved. Beset quivered in warning when Thad went to move her.

Richard immediately grabbed Thad's hand to stop him. "No! It's not a really good idea for anybody but Ardeth to touch that sword. She doesn't like to be held by anyone but her master, at least not without the password, and I don't know it well enough to feel safe chancing it."

Thad looked at him, incredulous. "The sword's got a mind of its own?" he asked, then shook his head. He had seen stranger things, probably.

“Yeah,” Richard said with a wry grin. “It was kind of startling when it flew across the room and imbedded itself in the wall beside Ardeth.”

"I would imagine so. Where are these boys from, then?" Thad made certain both boys were covered by blankets before the men left the room.

Richard chuckled as he ran a hand through his hair, closing the door behind them so that the two could sleep without being disturbed. "I don't know actually. They used a protection spell to keep Denna and Rahl from being able to torture me. Since he couldn't hurt me, I wasn't there when he was interrogating the boys very much. But wherever it is, I don't think it's anything like the Midlands."

"That is very true. From their appearance, I would guess they come from a desert of some sort. We will have to ask them about it in the morning before they go." Zed said, as he sat back down.

By the time the morning came, light was filtering lazily into room through the threadbare curtains—this had been the fist time in a while the room had been used. Rick rolled over groggily, automatically reaching over for his brother.

Ardeth grumbled and batted Rick's hand away from where it had landed against a sore spot. The younger boy was clinging to his sleepy haze and determined not to wake up just yet.

Rick came more fully awake at his brother’s assault, sitting upright carefully. He looked down at Ardeth and chuckled inwardly. Seeing the blanket had fallen down around him, he tugged it in closer, tucking it around Bey and then moving quietly to where he could lean back against the headboard. He looked around, slightly confused as to how they had ended up where they were. He didn’t remember anything beyond his fourth helping the night before. He shrugged though when he realized at the moment he didn’t care. Ardeth and he were finally safe, and right now he wasn’t going to stress himself to much over the details.

Just then, the door cracked open a bit and Richard peeked in. He grinned when he saw that Rick was awake. "There's food ready out here," he whispered.

“Okay, thanks,” Rick said nodding. He looked down at Ardeth considering he wasn’t sure if he should wake his brother or not. After a long moment, he decided to let him sleep. He carefully extricated himself from the covers and climbed down off the bed, his movements slow so as not to disturb Ardeth. As he left the room though, he opened the bond wide, so that his brother would immediately be able to sense him when he awoke and not panic at his absence. The aroma drifting up the stairs as he and Richard made their way down made O’Connell’s mouth water.

"I'm surprised your brother isn't up," Richard commented, as he closed the door behind Rick.

Rick nodded. “He’s a morning person so he’s usually up by now, but he has been through a lot. I’ll check on him again in a few minutes, but after the week he’s had, I want him to get as much sleep as he can.” Rick shook his head slightly, frowning for a moment. “He came pretty close to the edge with his magic levels this time around. Those replenishing potions are useful but they can put a strain on you too.”

"So what will happen to me if I do too much magic?" Richard asked, as he led the way to the table. Thad was just setting out bowls of food.

Rick grimaced. “Well, I’m not sure about all of the possibilities, but it your magic levels can become damaged to the point where spells aren’t as effective or to where you can’t use it as much as you used to. It’s kind of like exercising a muscle too much until it tears. Even though it can heal, you can’t get all of the maneuverability back, well, depending on how far beyond your threshold you go. If you were to go any further than that…” Rick shook his head. “Well, I’m almost positive that would be bad,” he scoffed ruefully.

"I'll have to remember to never do that, then," Richard said, looking surprised. "It's going to be hard to continue my training without you two."

“I’m sure Zed could probably help you where we leave off,” Rick said as he reached the foot of the stairs.

"Well, it will give me something to do now that I've fulfilled my destiny and defeated Rahl," Richard said, grinning.

The two of them sat down at the table across from Zed and Kahlan. Thad was laying down plates in front of the group when he saw that Rick was awake and smiled warmly at him.

“Good morning. I hope you’re hungry, young man.”

“Definitely,” he assured Thad, staring eagerly at the plate of food coming his way.

"Well, eat up, boy. You could use some meat on your bones." Thad added another plate to the laden table, then sat down and started serving himself. "Don't hesitate any, or you won't get any," he warned Kahlan.

Kahlan laughed lightly, standing to get some more for herself. From how quickly both Rick and Richard were putting there food away, she had no doubts about that. By the time she had gotten food for herself and returned to the table both Seeker’s plates were practically empty. It took her a while to contain her mirth. “A little hungry there?” she commented with a sly grin.

"Rahl didn't exactly make feeding us a priority," Richard pointed out, loading up his plate again. "And this is really good food."

The group laughed at his comment. “Yeah, no more prison food,” Rick mused. “Well, at least not for a little while, not till we can talk our way out of this one.” He began to try and sense through the bond if Ardeth was awake yet before he went for seconds himself.

The younger boy was just stirring. 'Rick? Where are you?' he asked, through the bond.

‘Good, you’re awake,’ Rick said, a smile crossing his face. ‘You might wanna get down here or there won’t be any food left for you to eat.’

'I'll be down in a minute, then.' Moments later, Ardeth appeared, looking very sleepy still.

“Morning, buddy,” Rick said, handing his brother a generous helping of food. “How’re you doing?” he asked, trying to hide his amused smile at the odd reversal of their roles.

"I am fine. How are you, my brother?" he asked, sitting down at the table and running a hand through his hair. The black curls were very tangled this morning, and caused an instinctive reaction in Kahlan—her hand started twitching for a brush.

Rick saw her reaction out of the corner of his eyes and choked on his laughter. It was the same reaction Jamilia had when Ardeth and Rick began to look particularly scruffy after a sparring session or returning from the sacred sites. He was still coughing by the time he got back to the table.

"What is the matter with you, Rick?" Ardeth demanded, quirking an eyebrow at his twin.

“Oh, nothing,” Rick stammered between bouts of laughter when he could finally catch his breath again. “It’s just suddenly I feel right at home.”

Ardeth scowled, guessing that somehow Rick was teasing him, then turned to the food. He was far too hungry to pay attention to anything but an attack from a creature.

Kahlan decided to do something to distract herself from how desperately she wanted to comb the boy’s hair. She stood about to refill her glass. “Richard?”

“Yes?” Both O’Connell and Cypher responded to their shared name, turning to look at Kahlan.

Everyone stopped and looked at them, suddenly realizing that those two did in fact have the same name. "I had not thought about that." Ardeth said, glancing from the Seeker to his twin. "I am surprised this didn't happen sooner."

Rick chuckled as he looked between Richard, Kahlan, and Ardeth. “Well, I’m not really used to people calling me Richard,” he guessed with a shrug. “The only one ever really called me that was my mom, and usually it meant I was in trouble.” O’Connell winced at the memory of his mother’s stern tone. He had heard it with some frequency in his youth.

At that, Ardeth smirked. "I will have to be certain to tell Father that when you must be chastised, he should call you by your full name."

Rick rolled his eyes and glared at his brother. "Thanks, but that's okay. I prefer Rick—for some reason doesn't make me feel like I'm back at one of the sacred sites."

The younger boy snickered, then returned his attention to the food. Thad watched as between them, the two boys ate almost all of the food on the table. He looked at Zed, shaking his head.

Zed laughed. “See, Thad, I told you you could make a good living as a cook.”

"Thank you very much for the food—it is excellent." Ardeth told the man, finally fully awake.

“No problem, young man. Anything for my brother and his friends,” he said with a smile. “Oh and speaking of which,” he said suddenly remembering something. He picked up a book he had laid on a side table then turned to Zed and handed it to him. “Here’s that tome you were looking for last night.”

"Thank you, Thad. Without this, I doubt I would be able to send the boys back home," Zed said, resting a hand on the book.

Rick looked at the tattered cover as he leaned back in his chair. “So the spell’s in there?” he asked, eyeing it curiously. He wondered distantly if the spells in there were anything like the ones in their spell books.

Ardeth was frowning at the book. “That looks strangely familiar. What language is it in?”

Zed raised his eyebrows, impressed, though he reminded himself that if the boy knew magic, he probably shouldn’t have been surprised that he knew this language as well. “It is the Tongue of the Mage, a secret language known only to the Wizards of the First Order, or so we thought.”

The Med-jai prince shrugged. "Among my people, all who have magic and are trained to use it learn that language. It is not exactly common knowledge, but it is not a secret, either."

Zed chuckled at that. “Well, I shall have to inform my order when I get back. They will be interested to hear that not all of our secrets are as well hidden as they believe.” He smiled opening the cover and turning through the pages until he was at the heart of the text. He read in silence for a moment, searching for a particular passage. “Ah,” he said as he found it. “Yes, that was the way the spell went. And here is the counterspell,” he continued, underlining the words with his finger as he spoke, then he looked up at the boys with a smile. “The spell that will send you safely home.”

"Excellent." Ardeth glanced around. "It has been nice meeting you all. Richard, you have done well in fulfilling your duty—remember that as a Med-jai you have a sacred protector of mankind, bound to defend them from evil."

Richard smiled warmly and clasped arms with the prince. “Thank you, I will.” His eyes were filled with gratitude and respect as he spoke. “I will never forget what you’ve done for me,” he promised, looking between Rick and Ardeth. “I hope we meet again someday.”

The boys grinned at him. "You never know what might happen. Maybe someday you'll come visit us."

“That would be great,” Richard said, nodding. “Then, I could see it in person.”

Kahlan stepped over and gave each of the boys a hug. “Thank you for looking after Richard,” she said as she embraced them.

"Take good care of him—he has a lot to do. Oh, and have Zed read the spell on page 256 of that book. It might help the two of you." Ardeth stepped away from the others and motioned Rick to stand next to him. "We're ready."

Zed rose to his feet with the book in one hand and turned towards the boys. As Rick shifted the position of rucksack strap that fell across his shoulder, he took one last look at their friends his eyes meeting Richard’s last. “See you ‘round,” he said as Zed began to recite the incantation.

Both boys disappeared in a flash of blinding light. Zed sighed heavily as he set the book down. "I'm going to miss those boys."

“Me too,” Richard murmured, his eyes still fixed to the spot where he disappeared. At length, he shook his head in wonder. “They kept me going, even though I had thought that I was going to be the one protecting them.”

"They are certainly special." Kahlan murmured, then turned to Zed. "What's that spell Ardeth wanted you to look up?"

Zed turned to the page Ardeth had listed, and as he read over the spells on that page, one of them caught his eye. As he read it, his jaw dropped open. He shook his head, uncertain that he was reading the spell correctly. But after examining it several times he turned, dumbfounded, to look at Richard and Kahlan. “It’s impossible,” he breathed. “How could we have missed it?”

"What's impossible?" Richard moved closer to look over Zed's shoulder.

Zed held the book out slightly so that they could see, pointing to the spell.

Kahlan came over to look at the book, but since it was in the Tongue of the Mage she couldn’t read it. “What does it say?” she asked, casting back and forth between Richard and Zed.

Richard's eyes widened as he read it. "It's a spell for controlling the powers of a Confessor," he whispered.

Kahlan gasped and her eyes widened. “How is that possible? Throughout history, Seekers and Confessors have always been parted, and we had the answer all along?” she asked, clearly confused but overjoyed at this news, eyes filled with hope.

"The spell is in an obscure dialect, and no one was ever able to determine its purpose. But yes, if I am reading this correctly, then you will never be able to confess Richard after I perform the spell."

Kahlan threw her arms around Richard, overwhelmed at what this meant. She didn’t have to be afraid anymore that her powers would hurt the man that she loved dearer than life. She didn’t have to fear that loving Richard would sacrifice everything they were fighting for.

Richard held her close in his arms, drinking in her warmth. It felt as though the world had been lifted from his shoulders, knowing that they could finally be together. He had been hoping and dreaming for this for so long that he almost couldn’t believe that this day had finally come.

Zed laughed, and seized both of them up into a hug. He was thrilled that the two young people he considered grandchildren would finally be able to have their well-earned happiness.

Thad looked on, joy settling into his heart as he watched the three of them, his family. The peace that had come to the Midlands not two days before began to take hold. He saw hope sparkling in each of their eyes. The healing had already begun. Hope had triumphed, as it always does.

~End~


End file.
